The Denver Nuggets, fresh off winning the 2023 NBA championship, should remain one of the favorites to win the title next season. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray remain arguably the league's deadliest duo, and flanking those three will be the exceptional supporting cast of Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Michael Porter Jr.
However, as one would recall, the Nuggets relied on a strict eight-man rotation for the entirety of the 2023 NBA playoffs, with Bruce Brown, Jeff Green, and Christian Braun the only ones playing any minutes of note off the bench. And now, two of them are gone. Brown and Green left the Nuggets to pursue more money elsewhere, and it's hard to blame them for doing so.
Given how playoff-viable Brown and Green were, it's not going to be an easy task for the Nuggets to replace their contributions. In light of their departures, it's looking like the Nuggets will be relying on their youngsters to fill that void, with Peyton Watson and perhaps Julian Strawther ready to slot in.
But given how young and inexperienced they are, expecting too much out of them may be unfair. Not every rookie can be like Christian Braun and not need much time to transition to the NBA. There's a reason the Nuggets brought Justin Holiday into the mix to at least dampen the team's risk profile.
Even then, with almost a week having elapsed since 2023 NBA free agency began, the Nuggets still have time to add pieces who can contribute to their title push for next season. They may not have much money left to offer, but perhaps the Nuggets can facilitate a career-leap for this certain young player whose stock has dipped.
Here is the bargain-bin target the Nuggets must set their sights on in free agency.
Bargain-bin free agent target for Nuggets: Hamidou Diallo
Not too many fans know Hamidou Diallo's game apart from his impressive highlight-reel athleticism. He was a Slam Dunk contest champion after all. But ever since the Oklahoma City Thunder traded Diallo to the Detroit Pistons, it seems like the 6'5 wing has faded into obscurity.
But Diallo is only 24 years old, and he hasn't exactly been playing in a setting conducive to winning. Thus, there may very well be another level for the highflyer to unlock — especially if he manages to land on a team that should be able to make use of his strengths such as the Nuggets.
One must not expect Hamidou Diallo to space the floor. He is a career 27.4 percent shooter from deep, and five seasons in, it's hard to expect an exponential improvement from him in that regard. But that hasn't stopped Diallo from being an efficient scorer, even for the moribund Pistons.
Just take a gander at Diallo's shot chart. That is a sight to behold. It's amazing how many of his attempts came from within the hoop, and his athleticism allowed him to flourish in the paint even though he stands at just 6'5. It bears mentioning that Diallo finished last season with a field-goal percentage of 57.3 percent — incredible stuff for a non big man.
Per NBA.com stats, Hamidou Diallo shot 70.6 percent from within five feet — which is incredible given the Pistons' less-than-stellar spacing. (Detroit shot just 35.1 percent from deep as a team, ranking 23rd.) For reference, Aaron Gordon, one of the best finishers in the league, shot 71.5 percent, and he was assisted on a greater percentage of shot attempts than Diallo was from within five feet (64.7 vs 61.5 percent).
Given the Nuggets' incredible floor spacing (37.9 percent last season as a team, which was good for fourth), it's not too hard to envision Diallo flourishing. Nikola Jokic's exceptional court vision should also do wonders for Diallo. The amount of lobs and spoonfed buckets around the hoop that the 6'5 guard would have should he sign with the team is insane.
There's still a chance that the Pistons bring him back, as they own his Bird rights, but with the addition of Joe Harris and the selection of Ausar Thompson, another wing who doesn't have the most accurate outside shot, he may no longer have a place in the Motor City. Thus, with cap space around the league drying up, Diallo should be available for cheap — and the Nuggets should be all over him.
The Nuggets have Peyton Watson, yet another player who loves to attack the hoop, who may be ready to take a leap in Year 2. Watson's presence may render Diallo superfluous, especially when the incoming sophomore is also a low-volume shooter from deep. But Diallo's athleticism and finishing ability around the hoop warrants a roster spot in the league, his three-point shooting struggles notwithstanding.
