The anticipation isn't quite like waiting to receive a gift you've been waiting for. But it feels similar in the way you want to see your team improve in a somewhat meaningful way without much of a drawback. And the Denver Nuggets are now one step closer to that reality. Step one was Ryan Nembhard getting waived by the Charlotte Hornets after his trade from the Atlanta Hawks, and step one is now complete. Now, the Nuggets and Nuggets fans wait.
NBA insider Marc Stein confirmed the anticipated news of Nembhard's waiver and reiterated once again that the Nuggets remain "prime among the teams hoping to sign Nembhard to a two-way deal IF he clears waivers." Yes, it's an "IF" still, but the waiting game has now begun and will last until Tuesday, Sept. 29th at 3 P.M. MT.
Nembhard is a better solution than the Nuggets' current PG depth
While Nembhard may not be the flashy answer that some fans would want at backup point guard, he's a younger, quicker, and better solution than Tyus Jones, who is already taking up one of the 14 occupied roster spots. And KJ Simpson isn't going to be the answer either. If Jamal Murray goes down or needs someone to spell him, I'd rather see Nembhard get the chance for what amounts to a free trial.
The Nuggets would take no salary cap hit by letting Simpson go and moving Nembhard into his place. It's a no-brainer move for someone with more upside. Nembhard was the top rookie in assists last season at 5.3 per game, and he had the NBA's top assist game with 23 in the season finale for the Dallas Mavericks, for whom he played 60 games and started 27.
One of those starts was particularly notable. When the Mavericks visited the Mile High City on December 1st, Nembhard lit up the Nuggets for 28 points and 10 assists, and he even caught the eye of Nikola Jokic with his surprise performance. Nembhard fared very well as a starter, averaging 9.4 points on 40.4% shooting from three and 6.8 assists in 25.7 minutes while only committing 1.7 turnovers. Ball control? Check.
That's the kind of playmaking you would want to see out of your backup point guard, and his high three-point rate is a perfect fit for the Nuggets' offense. In almost every way, Nembhard would be a better option than both Jones and Simpson. If Nembhard does clear waivers, the Nuggets would be making a no-brainer move to add him on a two-way contract over Simpson.
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