2020’s Vision for the Denver Nuggets: The G-Leaguers

A new series on the potential for the Denver Nuggets in this next decade. Co-site Expert Cade Walker takes a look into the 2020’s to see what is in store for the members of the team.

The 2010’s have been an up and down adventure for Nuggets fans. The rapid and ungraceful departure of the franchise star Carmelo Anthony followed with a brief era of success with Danilo Gallinari.

Shortly after, the GM who masterfully built the 57 win team of the 2012-13 win Nuggets, Masai Ujuri departed for greener pastures. With a brief period of consistent disappointment under Brian Shaw, (Rockies fans can resonate with the disappointment of that name), Tim Connelly launched an era of hope for the Nuggets.

He cultivated and collected a core of young, promising, and developing players. The results of that process has been seen. The Nuggets were one of the youngest teams in playoff history last season. They made it to the 7th game of the 2nd round. There is a bright future ahead for this team.

As the expectations arrive, the Nuggets are ambitious to thrive. Yet, past the current core of the Nuggets is a wave of youth, waiting in the wings. What does the decade have for them?

Let’s look.

P.J. Dozier:

The young, athletic combo guard has excelled in the G-League this year. He’s scoring at a very high rate to add to his elite playmaking. He has posted 8.0 assist per game to pair with 37.7% from three point range. His +2.43 Defensive PIPM is among the best in the G-League. Since College, both his shooting and passing vision have developed quite effectively.

His physical attributes, length, speed, strength, indicate potential as a quality rotation combo guard. The Nuggets currently don’t have a 5th guard, sliding Will Barton and Torrey Craig down to play occasional minutes at the 2.

Dozier might be able to find rotation minutes with the Nuggets in the not to distant future. Malik Beasley hits free agency this offseason. P.J. might be a guy that the front office sees as a competitor for that role. His ball-handling and passing, his ability to get to the rim, his effective defense all make him a tempting option moving forward. His affordability adds to that shine as well.

If his career continues with the Nuggets, expect a contributing rotation piece in the back court. If he moves on eventually, Dozier will find himself firmly in a guard rotation. He’s one of the best players in the G-League and is certainly an NBA caliber talent.

Vlatko Cancar:

Vlatko is a future role player. The one thing that the Nuggets are sure to do is develop talent properly. Vlatko is definitely a couple of years away from catching up the speed of the game, but the tools to make an impact are there. He has great touch from all over the court. His playmaking is above average as well, displaying an AST% of 14.9, which would be good for 72nd percentile in the NBA (Per Cleaning the Glass).

His shooting is the skill that made him the most attractive the Denver’s scouting department, and so far in the G-League this year, he’s hit almost 40% on 6.1 attempts per game. This skill has certainly translated well.

The concern with him at the NBA level is his speed. His body isn’t built enough, nor naturally quick enough to consistently guard NBA players with a quick first step. His IQ mitigates this somewhat, but not enough for him to be even average on defense, posting a -1.21 D-PIPM this year.

Cancar’s future is in a rotation somewhere. The Nuggets seem like an unlikely spot for him to find a long term role in however. Between Michael Porter Jr, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jerami Grant, and Juancho Hernangomez, the forward log jam might not go away soon. His ability is there clearly, but may not with Denver at the moment.

However something to consider is if the Nuggets traded away some of these players to create a vacuum. Remaining players could simply be maybe just MPJ and Grant. At that point, Cancar’s consistent shooting and playmaking would be a valuable asset off the bench.

Jarred Vanderbilt:

A Bleacher Report article once said that Jarred Vanderbilt played like a poor man’s Ben Simmons. His elite handle at his position led to thoughts that he could be a point-forward type player.

His skillset is unique. He has the handle of a guard, but is also an elite rebounder on both ends. He’s quick, vertical, and intelligent with positioning. He has a solid amount of defensive upside, showcasing good instinct and timing when contesting shots and disrupting passing lanes. His length and verticality add to his potential.

He can’t really shoot now, and his free throw profile suggests that a shot development is unlikely. His touch around the rim also leaves something to be desired. Though, in 8 games, on 23.5 minutes per game, he has been very efficient. His defense with his handle and passing, combined with his raw athleticism suggests that there’s something worth looking into for this project of a player.

In terms of an NBA outlook, Vanderbilt’s skills are translatable. One pro comp for his upside is around a Jonathan Issac level player, with a better handle and passing ability. The Power Forward rotation once Paul Millsap departs is unknown, but Vanderbilt seems like a valid option waiting for the opportunity. His shooting might not be a concern when you consider the guy that he’ll eventually pair up with in the frontcourt.

Bol Bol:

Averaging 2.1 blocks is impressive. Averaging 2.1 blocks in 18.1 minutes is obscene.

Bol Bol is a prospect in possession of one of the most tantalizing combination skillsets possible. He can block shots at an incredible rate. He can accurately and consistently shoot threes at decent volume. He can dribble effectively.

His touch from the high elbow and three has been an effective tool deployed by Bol.  His release seems a little low, but he’s also 7’3″ and needs to worry about that less. He’s been capable and effective on offense wherever he plays.

His defensive instincts are excellent. Mesh that with a standing reach that’s 9’7″ and you create a wall, a tower waiting for a player to throw it up, only for Bol to snatch it or reject it. His margin of error on defense combined with his defensive IQ has shown the results. He’s a legit shot blocker.

If he can leap past his humps, the prolific talent that Bol Bol is will become a staple. His strength is something that the Denver Nuggets training staff have helped him with, but for now present an issue for rebounding position and post defense. Some suggest that his mental commitment level is a concern, but so far, it has not caused issues.

There is a slim chance that Bol Bol reaches his ceiling, between injury and intangible concern, but the Nuggets moda operandi of developing players with injury flags on them has paid off. He has already made strides in putting on weight.

Bol Bol has a ceiling higher than his standing reach. His performance in the G-League speaks for itself. His 69.6% true shooting percentage is incredibly high for someone who doesn’t necessarily live around the rim. Can he be the shot blocking, and shot hitting 7’3″ center that he’s supposed to be? It remains to be seen of course, but the promise is thrilling.