The Denver Nuggets are still on a high after winning the franchise's first NBA Championship. Their fans are not as focused on the NBA Draft compared to other franchises, but one must remember that key cogs like Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. are all home-grown talent in Denver. Furthermore, draft steals like Christian Braun and possibly Peyton Watson in the future rotation of the Nuggets are samples that other squads are trying to emulate from their organization.

The Nuggets will likely lose Bruce Brown in free agency, so they will need to find able replacements who can fill in his role. Additionally, the Nuggets have locked up their core for the foreseeable future, so they do not have the flexibility to add free agents who will cost them a ton of money. The ascension of someone like Braun will be crucial for the chances of Denver to repeat because it was well-documented that the Nuggets had trouble finding the perfect second-unit combination throughout the season.

With their three choices in the draft, these guys will unlikely receive substantial minutes right away. But, the Nuggets are known to develop draftees, so the hope is to pounce on these rookies and make them instant key rotational pieces.

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Julian Strawther : B-

Gonzaga forward Julian Strawther was selected in the latter part of the first round by the Nuggets. He is a fantastic knockdown shooter who will benefit a ton from the laser passes thrown by Nikola Jokic. The expectation is for Strawther to contribute at some point in 2023-24 because their bench is not as deep. Since this selection was executed in the latter part of the first round, prioritizing fit to their system was a brilliant decision by the Nuggets front office.

Strawther is not just a great shooter, but he thrives through the catch-and-shoot variety, which is the perfect asset for an offense that revolves around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Similar to the other Nuggets' role players, he can cut well without the ball and will receive a ton of open layups from their sets. If head coach Michael Malone decides to unlock one of his rookies, Strawther will be the first option, but he will need to improve his defensive prowess immensely.

Jalen Pickett: C-

A surprising selection by the Nuggets at No. 32 was Penn State's Jalen Pickett. He was ranked outside of the top 60 in CBS' big board, so he could have been available at the latter stages of the draft. Pickett is one of the oldest and most experienced players in his class as he played five years in college before applying for the draft.

Denver executed numerous moves to acquire these second-round picks, so the expectation is for them to have a sufficient role with the team, rather than focusing on their player development. At 23 years old, Pickett's primary asset would be his high rebounding rate for a guard, along with his defensive repertoire that will discern his role from the other bench guys.

Hunter Tyson: C

Hunter Tyson is a five-year college player as well who played all of his collegiate years in Clemson. He is an exceptional scorer and forceful rebounder, so he can be a reliable second or third-string big man along with Zeke Nnaji.

The defense of Tyson will be a major strength for him because of Malone's heavy reliance on the defensive schemes of the Nuggets. Furthermore, his above-average shooting must translate in the NBA if he wants to become a reliable role player.