There is exactly one week until the 2024 NBA Draft. As is the case every year around this time, teams around the league are scrambling for last-minute details and information on every single prospect that they could potentially target. That is why plenty of rumors pertaining to the draft are flying off the handle. However, one team that always seems confident heading into the draft, even though they usually have a late first-round pick, is the Denver Nuggets.
Evaluating and finding talent that fits their system near the end of the first round is nothing new for the Nuggets. Prior to landing Julian Strawther in a trade with the 29th overall pick in 2023, the Nuggets selected Christian Braun at 21st overall in 2022, as well as Bones Hyland 26th overall in 2021. Denver always tends to find talent in this position, which is why DaRon Holmes II could be the value pick this organization makes in the NBA Draft.
Holmes is a stretch big man who is an avid rebounder in the paint. At 6'10” and having the ability to be a power forward or a center in the league, he could wind up being the perfect complimentary piece for Denver to add to their frontcourt next to two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. It appears as if Denver's front office is already thinking about this scenario, as many teams are operating under the assumption that Holmes has received a promise from the Nuggets, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony.
The talk surrounding Holmes throughout the pre-draft process has been fixated on him receiving a promise from a team picking in the first round because he canceled all of his pre-draft workouts right after the NCAA withdrawal deadline passed on May 29. As Givony states, this is a similar approach to what happened with Jalen Pickett last year, who was eventually drafted 32nd overall by the Nuggets.
There has been a buzz surrounding Holmes throughout the pre-draft process. Outside of Alex Sarr and Donovan Clingan at the top of many teams' draft boards, Holmes stands out in that second tier of big men along with the likes of Yves Missi, Kel'el Ware, and Kyle Filipowski due to his shooting abilities from the perimeter. It is not hard to believe that Holmes is the best all-around offensive big man in this draft class because of his three-point shooting tendencies.
This is why other teams ahead of the Nuggets in the first round of the draft may consider selecting Holmes.
Thunder could steal DaRon Holmes from Nuggets
The Oklahoma City Thunder are always one of the most unpredictable teams when it comes to the NBA Draft and who they will end up selecting. Executive Sam Presti is a mastermind when it comes to evaluating talent, and he always tends to keep his organization's intentions internal. With this said, the Thunder have had an eye for undervalued talent in the college ranks, and they will be targeting frontcourt depth next to Chet Holmgren this offseason.
Presti and the Thunder currently own the 12th overall pick. While there could be a few players Oklahoma City is targeting with this pick, a lot of their plans depend on what happens in the top 10 of this year's draft. As a result, there is a belief from some around the league that the Thunder will target frontcourt help with the 12th overall selection, leading to rumors about whether Oklahoma City has secretly been the team to promise Holmes in this year's draft.
Although he is not viewed as a lottery pick, nothing but good things have been said about the way Holmes conducts himself every day and during his individual workouts leading up to the draft. If Holmes was truly given a promise in the first round of the draft by the Nuggets with the 28th overall pick, then why would he cancel all of his remaining workouts instead of trying to become a higher selection in the first round?
Even though there have been whispers that teams inside the top 15, like the Thunder, have interest in Holmes, the Nuggets are still the team everyone points to as the team that makes the most sense for the Dayton product in this year's draft.
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