5 sleeper NBA Draft picks for the Denver Nuggets to target
By Ben Handler
No. 2 - Adem Bona, UCLA
If the Nuggets miss on Holmes but still want to attack the backup center position, Bona would be an excellent option. He has one of the highest motors in the draft and would bring an unbelievable amount of energy for the Nuggets off the bench.
He will battle for every rebound and loose ball and can turn into a monster down low on the defensive end, swatting shots left and right and rebounding everything in sight. The Nuggets haven’t had a spark like this off the bench in a while and it would be fun to see this type of change of pace whenever Jokic sits.
You can make a case for Adem Bona as the No. 1 player in this class in several categories: explosiveness, ground coverage, intensity and defensive versatility -- valuable traits that could help him carve out a role early in his career.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 22, 2024
ESPN sleepers: https://t.co/ekEeVU2OdH pic.twitter.com/IR5hvbriwf
The big issue for Bona is his offensive game. He has no ability to stretch the floor at all, he’s a shaky free-throw shooter, and even around the basket, he’s shown limited touch. He needs to polish his ball skills in a big way, but there’s still hope he can at least be a good rim runner and lob threat - especially playing alongside good creators.
If Bona can improve with the ball and become a solid finisher around the hoop, everything else is already there. He would be a perfect backup big man for the Nuggets and should be able to earn that role almost instantly.