The scale was set as such: A 10 meant the most important, and a one was the least important. So, Tim Connelly, put a number to just how important hitting the mark in Thursday’s NBA draft is for the Nuggets.
“It’s a 10,” said Connelly, the Nuggets’ general manager. “The lottery is not fun when you don’t get the pick right. It’s the highest pick we’ve had in 12 years, since (Carmelo Anthony). The seventh pick should be an impactful player, and it’s our job to find that impactful player.”
There figure to be a lot of them by the time the Nuggets’ selection comes up. The top seven players are Kentucky’s Karl-Anthony Towns, Duke’s Jahlil Okafor, Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay (who played in China), Duke’s Justise Winslow and international phenoms Kristaps Porzingis and 6-foot-8 Mario Hezonja. If they stand pat, the Nuggets will most likely be in play for the last three.
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Asked how many of the top 10 players he thought would become big-time players in the NBA, ESPN’s Chad Ford mentioned those seven.
“I think all seven of those guys, to me, are sure things at some level in the NBA,” he said. “Whether they’re all-stars or not, I can’t necessarily say that, but sure things and that they’re going to be in the league a long time. They’re at least going to be starters; they’re going to have a significant impact on the team.”
Connelly knows the Nuggets’ draft pick has to play, and has to play immediately. He did, however, lend some perspective to quell unreasonable expectations being placed on whoever the player is.
“The one caveat being I think we have to have some patience with it,” Connelly said. “I don’t know if the impact comes in year one. These guys are so young now. They lack real seasoning. But it’s our job to pick the right player, and that makes this pick all the more important. We can’t be wrong here.”
The Nuggets are focused on getting back into the “star” business this summer, whether drafting a player that can grow into one or acquiring one by other means.
But the draft is tops.
Hezonja has been on the Nuggets’ international staff’s radar for some time now. And there’s good reason why.
“He’s got a potent combination of things that NBA teams like,” Ford said. “He has size for position. He’s 6-8, can play the 2 or the 3. He’s got elite athletic ability. He’s bouncy. He jumps out of the gym. He’s quick and explosive, and he’s got a lethal 3-point shot with deep, deep range.”
The Nuggets have also been in the middle of numerous trade speculation, most of it surrounding their starting point guard of the last four seasons, Ty Lawson. The Nuggets have several avenues to explore in terms of trades, and they’ve already been kicking the tires on many possibilities.
“We want to be aggressive,” Connelly said. “We’re looking at any and all scenarios, and we’ve already proactively made a lot of those calls. We’ll see what we can do to make it interesting and hopefully give coach the best team possible.”
It all equals a night that has the potential to be as big as any draft night in team history.
“I think what we’ve done a pretty good job in our time that we’ve been here is having a read for the draft, who’s going to go where and who is going to be left for us,” Connelly said. “I think we feel good about our target group; we’re going to be able to get one of those guys.”
Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@ denverpost.com or twitter.com/dempseypost
Who will it be?
The Nuggets pick seventh in Thursday’s NBA draft, barring trades. So who are the principal players the Nuggets will target? These guys.
Justise Winslow, SF, Duke: Do-everything forward who excels defensively.
Mario Hezonja, SG, Croatia: Confident shooter with star potential.
Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky: One of the best shooters in the draft.
Willie Cauley-Stein, PF, Kentucky: Arguably the best defender in the draft.
Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona: Skilled player who is built like a tank.
Kristaps Porzingis, PF, Latvia: Skilled 7-footer whose stock has soared.
Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post
