ESPN's "best" prospects that Nuggets could realistically draft
By Ben Handler
The 2024 NBA draft is an important one for the Nuggets despite not having great pick capital. They hold the 28th and 56th picks and will need to use those resources to add some depth to the roster. Denver has limited assets to work with this offseason, so finding value with their picks would be a huge boon and one of the only realistic pathways to improving the roster.
With such late picks, it’s going to be impossible to find blue chip star players, but it makes sense to focus on areas of need and to target players who can offer a specific skill. Two areas the Nuggets need to address desperately are shooting and backup center.
Jonathon Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN put out a list of draft prospects who are the best at 20 different specific traits. Two players on the list would fill the Nuggets' needs, and possibly be available for Denver to draft.
Best pull-up shooter: Cam Spencer, Uconn
Spencer isn’t a first-round prospect, but he is more than worthy of a flier with the 56th pick. He has championship pedigree, coming out of UConn and these experts think he’s the best pull-up shooter in the entire draft.
Cam Spencer seems like a sleeper hiding in plain sight as a ++ shooter and off-ball mover. 41.9% from three on 659 attempts and 87.8% from the foul line for his college career. pic.twitter.com/nOVm3WrQ8n
— Will Morris (@w_a_morris) June 8, 2024
The Nuggets need to attempt and make more threes and having a guy like Spencer who could come off the bench and jack them up would be extremely helpful. He obviously has other flaws in his game - hence being ESPN’s #57 rated prospect - but there’s almost no downside to drafting an elite shooter at the end of the second round.
Best Motor: Adem Bona, UCLA
Bona would be an ideal backup center for the Nuggets. He’s big and physical and plays extremely hard every minute he’s on the court. That’s exactly what Denver needs for short spurts while Nikola Jokic rests. Bona is currently ranked #37 by ESPN so using a late first-round pick to fill a need wouldn’t be crazy.
No prospect plays harder than Adem Bona, who flies around with incredible purpose, hedging screens and chasing down blocks with track-star speed. His ability to flip his hips, cover ground and get off his feet with his superb quickness, 7-4 wingspan and 40-inch vert, is special. pic.twitter.com/yYSUqT7j4Z
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 10, 2024
He would have a very small and defined role and it would be nice to have a high-motor, intense, hustling player come in to provide energy and physicality off the bench. In a perfect world, Bona could be a poor man’s Isaiah Hartenstein. This would be a great pick for Denver.
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