Denver Nuggets
Team Outlook:
After a disappointing 33-49 campaign in which the Nuggets finished 11th in the Western Conference, Denver looks to rebound with its core of young players. The Nuggets are hoping their young core can stay healthy after missing a total of 240 games last season and ranking near the bottom in offseason spending despite the raise in the salary cap the Nuggets seem content to go with what they have for the 2016-2017 season. Denver is going to need to see marked improvement from Emmanuel Mudiay and another strong season from Nikola Jokic to put up any sort of fight in the West. Denver is still a few years away from truly competing but will be intriguing to watch how their young players develop for the long haul and if saving money this offseason brings about any big signings for next year.
Projected Starting Lineup:
Point Guard- Emmanuel Mudiay
Mudiay looks to build on a solid first season in the NBA as he was very productive in his first season. None of the numbers really jump off the stat sheet, but he did lead the team with 5.5 rebounds per game. Mudiay was third on the team with 30.4 minutes per game, which if that trend continues his numbers should increase in year two as he builds more of a rapport with the rest of the starters. Mudiay should present good value for the price this season.
Shooting Guard- Gary Harris
Harris started 76 of his 76 games last year and averaged 32.1 minutes and 12.4 points per game. Harris is more known for his defense and quick hands as he led the team in steals but does not provide a consistent 3 point threat or pull down many rebounds. Harris plays a lot of minutes but needs to be more productive to make an impact in DFS lineups.
Small Forward- Danilo Gallinari
Gallinari lead all scorers with 19.5 points per game as well as lead the team with 34.7 minutes per game. Gallinari started 53 of his 53 games last season before his season was cut short with an ankle injury. Gallinari says he is healthy and it is interesting that he declined a trade at the deadline last year that would have gotten him out of Denver. There is some chemistry brewing and he will be a go-to guy in this offense. The main risk here is his health as he has only really been healthy for 2 of his 8 career seasons.
Power Forward- Kenneth Faried
Faried has made a lot of progress through training camp thus far as coach Mike Malone said he is very impressed with the power forward only days after saying he would not reveal his starter. Faried did lead the team in rebounds last season with 8.7 per game to go along with 12.5 points per game. Faried could see his minutes’ increase, giving him more opportunity to score and pull in rebounds. Faried is another guy who will be priced towards the bottom and is mostly a spot fill option.
Center- Nikola Jokic
Jokic looks to be a big part of this Denver team this year, and no one seems to be sleeping on him in the fantasy world either as he is a top 30 pick in standard leagues. The sophomore big man should see his minutes’ increase as coach Malone seems to feel more confident with him. Expect a big step forward in year two for Jokic as he gets more playing time and becomes comfortable in the offense.
Key Bench:
Point Guard: Jameer Nelson
Nelson is one who will benefit with the departure of Augustin in regards to coming off the bench. He was largely ineffective as a starter, before shifting over to coming off the bench. Look for a much better season with a more clear and defined role. Nelson is not a good option in DFS unless he sees a steep increase in production.
Small Forward: Will Barton
Barton was the only Nugget to play all 82 games last season and came off the bench in all but 1 of them. Averaging under 15 points per game was good enough to rank second on the team, which is surprising to see from someone coming off the bench. Barton is still not a great DFS option as he is not going to light up all the categories, but could be a cheap play when needed.
Center: Jusuf Nurkic
Nurkic’s value lies in the number of minutes he will get to play. He has the potential to score off the bench but looks to lose time to Jokic he seems to have taken over the starting role. Nurkic’s salary should remain low due to the inconsistent play, but he is worth watching.
Point Guard: Jamal Murray
Murray should be interesting to watch if he is able to back up even half of what he is claiming. The Canadian has been quoted that he will lead the league in rookie scoring, which would be a nice boost for Denver’s offense.
Power Forward: Juancho Hernangomez
Hernangomez, a first-round pick out of Spain in this past draft is largely unknown for the Nuggets this year. He comes over from Spain and appeared to be a draft and stash candidate, but a strong summer league performance earned him a spot on the roster. It will be interesting to see how his game from Spain translates to the NBA, which should drive down his price in the early going to a minimum.
Off-Season Signings:
N/A
Key Departures:
D.J. Augustin (CHI)(4/$29M)
Augustin was very solid coming off the bench but was not worth the $29 million he got paid. His departure will increase Jameer Nelson’s role and give him more scoring opportunities.