FanSided 2017 Re-draft: Second Chance for the Denver Nuggets

"With each NBA page from the FanSided Network participating in a redo of the 2017 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets have an opportunity for redemption."

This would be a very fortunate event if the Denver Nuggets were able to rectify the results of this draft. In fact, this draft was probably the most unfortunate draft of the Michael Malone era.

At this time, the Denver Nuggets were very bullish on OG Anunoby. If he fell to 13, the Nuggets would’ve snapped him up immediately. Unfortunately, former Denver Nuggets GM Masai Ujuri had the same plans and the Raptors drafted him right before the Nuggets could. With the unfolding of these events, the Denver Nuggets traded this pick for Trey Lyles and Tyler Lydon.

The rest is history, as we know, because the Utah Jazz selected Donavan Mitchell with this pick. A few seasons later and neither Trey Lyles nor Tyler Lydon are on the Denver Nuggets anymore. Such is NuggLyfe.

With this opportunity, the Site-Experts at FanSided’s NBA division did a redraft of the 2017 NBA draft. The Nuggets, because of the events that unfolded, benefit more from this than most teams. (You can check in on the picks as they are announced here.)

This pick was quite easy as it stood. As the first 12 picks had gone by, there were some decent role players available. Dillon Brooks, Derrick White, Josh Hart were still there. I even briefly looked at a riskier project even in Markelle Fultz. Yet, the player that was the most obvious to me was point guard from UCLA, Lonzo Ball.

Lonzo hasn’t quite lived up to the hype he received as the original number two pick. L.A. clearly wasn’t the ideal situation for him in terms of their team timeline and personnel fit. Yet with his move to the Pelicans, Lonzo has thrived as a lead ballhandler and defender. His shot is even something that has significantly improved, largely due to revamped mechanics.

Lonzo Ball joins the Denver Nuggets in this hypothetical as a dream fit alongside both Gary Harris and Jamal Murray. He has the size to take on larger guard threats. A backcourt with Ball alongside Gary Harris is a defensive nightmare for opposing teams. With a Western Conference that is stacked with elite guards (Lillard, Harden, Curry, etc), Lonzo’s value is immense. Lonzo also can play alongside of Jamal Murray, allowing Murray to worry less about playmaking, and more about scoring, which is his calling card. While Murray has improved significantly as a defender, Lonzo would still take the primary assignment here, taking further pressure off of Jamal.

Ball would be a perfect backcourt fit next to either guard, and with the track record of the Denver Nuggets in developing young players well, Lonzo would accelerate quickly towards his ceiling as a top guard in the League.