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It hasn't been a month since the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat, 94-89, in Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals to secure their first championship and yet here they are, having to look forward to the following season already. In fact, the 2023 NBA Summer League may be more crucial to the Nuggets' hopes of a championship repeat than one may think, given how free agency has turned out for them thus far.
The Nuggets, as one would recall, relied heavily on an eight-man rotation during the playoffs. Sure, their elite starting five remains, with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray still around to carve up defenses. But two of their best bench players, Bruce Brown and Jeff Green, left the team to get the bag. Thus, replacing their production should be a concern for the Nuggets — especially when they're likely to rely on internal improvement to fill that need.
During Summer League, it'll be interesting to monitor if any Nuggets youngster could perhaps follow in the footsteps of Christian Braun and contribute to a championship-caliber team despite being as young as they are. And among those youngsters, these are the ones the Nuggets will have to rely on to be ready to take on a lot of responsibility.
Here are five must-watch prospects for the Nuggets during the 2023 NBA Summer League.
Peyton Watson
The Nuggets didn't have much interest in throwing Peyton Watson to the fire last season. He played just 23 games for the team last year and most of his appearances came in garbage time. To end the 2022-23 season, however, the Nuggets began playing him more minutes since the team had already secured the top seed in the conference — and the 20-year old began to show flashes of what could be a fruitful sophomore year for him.
Watson was a bundle of energy every time he was on the court. He doesn't have the most expansive off-the-dribble game just yet, but he has a quick first step, and he uses that step to blow past defenders and get to the rim. Once in the paint, Watson makes good use of his vertical athleticism, although he tries to contort his body instead of fighting through contact.
Peyton Watson has also shown flashes of some brilliant passing on the move, and glimpses of what could be a dangerous stop-and-go game, leveraging his strong lower body to stop on a dime and utilize his soft touch around the hoop.
His development as a shooter, however, will be the most crucial thing to watch out for during his stint for the Nuggets in Summer League. He shot 6-14 on triples last season, but most of those attempts came with the game already decided one way or another. That sample size is also close to negligible, so it'll be something to monitor how he performs against tighter defenses.
And for the Nuggets' sake, they'll be hoping that Watson is ready to take a leap in year two to make up for the departures of some of their most trusted role players.
Julian Strawther
The Nuggets made waves when they pulled off a trade in the middle of the 2023 NBA Finals, dealing away a future-first to the Oklahoma City Thunder so they could acquire prospects that could help the team win now. As a result of that trade, the Nuggets acquired Julian Strawther, the 29th pick of the 2023 NBA Draft, along with two other youngsters who will be appearing on this list.
Standing at 6'6 with a 6'9 wingspan, Strawther certainly has the size to excel at either wing position for the Nuggets. His lack of off-the-dribble juice shouldn't matter much once he finds his stride alongside Nikola Jokic. Strawther certainly possesses the marksmanship from deep to make him such a viable weapon for the Nuggets in their offensive system that's reliant on player movement.
At Summer League, Julian Strawther will have the chance to impress Nuggets fans with his lethal shooting from beyond the arc — and perhaps even showcase his improved ability to create for himself.
Jalen Pickett
The Nuggets still have Reggie Jackson above Jalen Pickett on the depth chart, so there's not much pressure on Pickett to emerge as a high-level role player from day one. But Pickett, as one of the oldest prospects in the draft, should be good to play a small role in the rotation — and his performance in Summer League should go a long way towards earning him that role.
Pickett's physicality at the guard position should allow him to flourish against the smaller guards in Summer League, while his improved jumpshot should further accentuate his all-around game.
Hunter Tyson
Yet another older prospect, the Nuggets certainly made it a priority of theirs to target players who could help them win now. In Hunter Tyson's case, his three-point shooting (40.5 percent last season on six attempts per game) alone at his size (6'8), should give him a fighting chance to crack the Nuggets' opening day rotation.
But that, of course, depends on his ability to survive on defense. Nuggets fans should keep an eye out for Tyson on the defensive end of the court, and whether he shows the needed foot speed and effort that head coach Michael Malone will be looking for in any player he relies on.
Cassius Stanley
Cassius Stanley hasn't really done much for his career. But he'll always have the memory of his impressive showing during the 2020 NBA Slam Dunk Contest to cherish.
Stanley may not crack the Nuggets' roster, even on a two-way deal. But Stanley certainly possesses the athleticism to make every possession when he's on the court must-see in anticipation of the athletic feats he might pull out of his bag.
