Two young Nuggets bench players graded as elite in key statistical category

A known key to the Nuggets’ success going into the 2023-24 season was the play of their bench and the development of their young players. Bruce Brown and Jeff Green were two important bench players from the championship squad that were lost to free agency last season and went largely unreplaced.

The plan for Denver was to replace that production internally with recently drafted players - especially Christian Braun and Peyton Watson. It’s safe to say the results were mixed; both players had up-and-down seasons with neither one taking a massive step forward. Braun played pretty well in the playoffs but Watson found himself out of Michael Malone’s rotation.

But there were plenty of signs of optimism and growing pains were realistically to be expected. It was unfair to expect a couple of second-year players to come in and replace seasoned veterans right off the bat. This was always going to take time and Calvin Booth essentially said as much. But if these players can excel on the defensive end, they will earn Malone’s trust, and the rest will come with experience.

Well, the good news is that both players did make strides on the defensive end and recent advanced metrics show that their play may have been even more impressive than the eye test suggested.

Basketball Index, a company that releases data and offers team and agency consulting, has been publishing multiple season-long advanced stats in recent days and one that stood out was a metric measuring rim protection across different positions.

Braun and Watson making impact with rim protection

The Nuggets’ youngsters stood out, and then some, in these metrics. Braun was ranked #7 out of all guards in the league this season in rim protection, trailing defensive stalwarts like Derrick White and Jalen Suggs. That’s a great trajectory for Braun, who has tons of range and athleticism. This is an area where he should only improve and be able to expand his game.

But even more impressively, Watson was ranked #1 in the league in rim protection among all forwards. He edged out defensive stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Chet Holmgren, Evan Mobley, and every single other forward in the NBA. Watson still needs to improve his consistency, reliability, and his overall offensive game, but this is incredibly encouraging.

These players still have a long way to go, but Nuggets fans should take solace in stats like this. It’s going to take some time, but there was plenty of growth this season. If Braun and Watson can take a step this offseason and become consistently engrained in lineups, the Nuggets will be in much better shape next season.