We’re now two Nuggets games into the Las Vegas Summer League, and third-year forward Hunter Tyson is yet to make an impact. Tyson was drafted early in the 2nd round of the 2023 draft, and Calvin Booth and company chose to sign him to a four-year contract.
Tyson has failed to earn an NBA rotation spot through his first two seasons, making this season truly make or break as his contract for 2026-27 is a team option. You don’t want to overreact too much to summer league, but it’s definitely concerning when a player entering his third season fails to stand out.
Sadly, that’s been the case with Tyson. He’s getting plenty of minutes and getting up plenty of shots, but the results and efficiency haven’t been there. So far, through two games, Tyson has led the team in minutes, with 57, but has scored just 25 points on 9-28 shooting and 3-11 from three.
He has taken down 18 rebounds, but has just 2 assists and hasn’t been heard from much on the defensive end. Perhaps more concerning than the stats is that Tyson just hasn’t popped at all when he’s in the game.
Third-year players should dominate summer league
Again, summer league is far from the defining factor for a player’s career, but it’s concerning to see a third-year player struggle. Tyson should be leading this young crew, setting the tone on both ends, and leaning on his strengths to take advantage of younger, less experienced players.
Instead, we’re seeing the Nuggets come out flat. They were clearly the less energetic team on Saturday night against the Timberwolves and looked overmatched from the jump. Younger players like DaRon Holmes, Spencer Jones, and Tamar Bates, especially, have all shone at times and have largely outplayed Tyson.
That’s not great considering Bates and Jones are undrafted players on two-way contracts, and Holmes is seeing his first action since surgery to repair his torn achilles.
Tyson may not be long for Nuggets’ roster
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Tyson is going to crack the Nuggets’ rotation this season, which puts him on extremely thin ice going forward. Already 25 years old, if Tyson rides the pine for another season, Denver will almost certainly decline its team option, letting him hit free agency.
At that point, it’s questionable whether or not Tyson would get another shot in the NBA. It’s a shame for Tyson personally, but it’s also a shame that the Nuggets will have wasted a roster spot for three seasons on a player who has never proven to be NBA-caliber.
It’s another black eye for the Calvin Booth era, and further proof of why he’s no longer in Denver. Tyson should have been on a two-way contract from the get-go, and his roster spot could, and should have been used much more efficiently.