The rich got richer with the 2023 NBA Draft
The 2023 NBA Draft might be remembered for guys like Victor Wembanyama, Brandon Miller, Scoot Henderson and Amen Thompson changing the fortunes of their respective organizations. However, in recent years some of the league's contenders have been able to boost their rotations without having top-10 picks. These are winning franchises that identify value and draft players that can help them win immediately — while also giving them some long-term upside. With that in mind, keep reading to see how some of the top teams in the league helped themselves in the draft.
The Nuggets are fresh off a dominant title run in which the team won the first NBA championship in franchise history. With that in mind, Denver probably doesn’t want to be thinking much about the offseason right now. But basketball never stops, and the Nuggets had to turn around and quickly prepare themselves for the 2023 NBA Draft. And I think they knocked it out of the park with some of their additions.
Denver used the 29th pick on Gonzaga wing Julian Strawther, who is listed at 6-foot-7 with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game last season. Strawther did that on 46.9% shooting from the floor and 40.8% shooting from deep. He also finished in the 97th percentile in college basketball in spot-up shooting last year, according to Synergy Sports. He shot 45.0% on spot-up triples, making it easy to figure out how he’ll fit next to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
Denver also drafted Jalen Pickett with the 32nd pick in the draft. Pickett has an unconventional game, but he should be ready to take over as the team’s backup point guard rather quickly. At 6-foot-4, he has great size for the position while also possessing tremendous feel as a pick-and-roll ball handler. On top of that, the Nuggets added another sniper in Clemson forward Hunter Tyson, who shot 40.5% from 3 on 6.0 attempts per game. He’s also a very good rebounder for a shooter, as he averaged 9.6 rebounds per game last year.