The Nuggets could have traded into the second round of the draft fairly easily if the right opportunity came along, but they missed the moment. Instead, the Suns traded to steal the 41st overall pick from the Warriors and snag the best pure three-point shooter in the draft, Kobe Brea, out of Kentucky.
The Nuggets need shooting and spacing more than any team in the league, and Brea could have immediately provided it. He was a true movement shooter, with as consistent a release as you’ll see. He played four years at Dayton, shooting 50% from three in his final season before transferring to Kentucky.
Brea doesn’t do much else well beyond shooting, but he is a true specialist and would make teams pay for sending extra defenders to Nikola Jokic. A shooter like this added to the mix off the bench would allow the Nuggets to space out the floor consistently with Brea, Michael Porter Jr., Strawther, and Murray all being ready to fire at all times.
Nuggets have a three-point shooting problem
The Nuggets were the worst three-point volume team in the entire league last year, and it’s the one way their offense could go to another level. Even just the threat of this greater level of shooting would help everything by stretching out the defense, creating bigger driving lanes, and opening up the paint and weakside.
It’s a shame when the team has such a glaring need, but failed to pounce on this opportunity when it likely only would have cost one future second-round pick or just cash. Buying the pick with cash would have hard-capped the Nuggets at the second apron, but Josh Kroenke all but guaranteed the team would avoid that spending threshold anyway.
Lack of aggression from Nuggets is frustrating
Maybe a trade into the second round wouldn’t solve all the Nuggets’ problems, but it’s frustrating to see the team standing pat while trades are being made left and right. It would have been nice if they had identified a talent like Brea early on and jumped at an easy opportunity to buy a second-round pick to take a swing on upside.
The Nuggets will have an opportunity to sign undrafted free agents, and they need to move quickly to add the guys they want. If they can hit on a player that way, it would be great, but it’s a long shot. Free agency is looming, just days from now, and the Nuggets’ new front office has a lot to prove.