2014-2015 Player Review
This is a review of all 15 players that finished the regular season with the Denver Nuggets.
There were a number of pleasant surprises this season. Both Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried experienced their first All-Star appearance together. Lawson and Faried also made All Defense team selections, while Ty also made the All-NBA Third Team. It was also a big season for Gary Harris, who won the Rookie Challenge MVP and was selected in the All Rookie Second Team.
Ty Lawson
82 Games (81 Starts)
13.8ppg 11apg 2.7spg
.473 FG% .431 3PT% .857 FT%
Even though his points per game decreased, it was a career season for Ty Lawson. Not only did he lead the entire league in both assists and steals, but he shot the ball well from basically everywhere on the court.
Lawson has always had All-Star potential and this season it was realised with his first All-Star inclusion. He also finished the season with All-NBA Third Team and All-Defensive Second Team accolaides. If Lawson's name wasn't on the list of elite point guards in this league, it's certainly there after his efforts in the 2014-2015 season.
Arron Afflalo
74 Games (73 starts)
16.6ppg 3.7apg 1spg
.423 FG% .359 3PT% .861 FT%
This is the first season in Afflalo's NBA career where he hasn't improved upon his points per game average. In fact, with the exception of his free throw percentage, his shooting numbers are slightly down on last season. Does that mean AAA is regressing? I don't believe he is. His numbers reflect a slow start to the season, where he was getting used to a new system. Over the course of the season, Afflalo has flourished into an impact player on both ends of the court. As well as being the Nuggets top scorer, he's also arguably Denver's best perimeter defender.
Afflalo has a Player Option for next season, and by all reports, he's leaning towards accepting it, which is great news for the franchise.
Wilson Chandler
72 Games (65 starts)
14.7ppg 4.3rpg 1 bpg
.463 FG% .380 3PT% .676 FT%
There were periods over the course of the season where Wilson Chandler was the Nuggets best player. Chandler has really developed into a solid all round player. Aside from his free throw percentage, Chandler's scoring and shooting numbers are close to what they were when he played for the Knicks. His blocks are also close to what they were in the 10-11 season.
Wilson Chandler has a team option on his contract and at this point, it is highly likely that it will be picked up in the off-season.
Kenneth Faried
75 Games (75 starts)
11.4ppg 9.3rpg 1.9bpg
.624 FG% .333 3PT% .522 FT%
After his FIBA performances, there was a lot of expectation for Kenneth Faried to have a breakout season. Even though he made the All-Star team (albeit through the misfortune of LaMarcus Aldridge) and the All-Defensive First Team, this season basically confirmed that Faried isn't really a star in the traditional sense. His game revolves around tenacity and hustle, rather than his skill. He has shown improvement in his jumpshot - he even hit a couple of threes - but the majority of his baskets still come from putbacks and dunks. Once he is consistent in those areas, then the Manimal will make the leap to the elite level.
JaVale McGee
50 Games (40 starts)
8.3ppg 6.5rpg 1.8bpg
.626 FG% .549 FT
It was another stop-start season for JaVale McGee. He had a great opportunity to shine when Timofey Mozgov was dealt to the Kings, but he was unable to capitalise, due to a series of ankle injuries. It's still hard to know exactly what the franchise is going to get from McGee. There are times where he cannot be stopped and looks like the best centre in the league. And then there are the other times where he's on Shaqtin a Fool. Let's hope the 2015-2016 season is the one where McGee finally breaks out.
Derrick Williams
56 Games
7.7ppg 2.9rpg 1.1apg
.451 FG% .387 3PT% .781 FT%
The best way to describe the season of Derrick Williams would be bittersweet. It was great in that he was traded into a situation where he was utilised to great effect. When he was on the floor, he showed that he has an improved jumpshot and is a legitimate threat from beyond the arc. However, the injury was quite a setback for his progression. If he stayed healthy, the Nuggets could have traded Gallinari and allowed Williams to pick up even more minutes off the bench. In saying that, from what we saw, Williams could be an effective sixth man for the Nuggets going forward. Let's just hope his contract demands are reasonable.
Danilo Gallinari
72 Games (14 starts)
7.3ppg 2.9rpg 1.1bpg
.485 FG% .384 3PT% .865 FT%
It's always hard to fit a player back into a system after they've missed the previous season. Gallinari had a lot of rust in the beginning of the season, which basically made it impossible for him to win his starting spot back off Wilson Chandler. As the season progressed, his numbers got a lot better, but his attempts were more limited. In fact, aside from his rookie year, this is the only season where he averaged less than 14 points per game.
At this point, Gallinari could be seen as the Nuggets most valuable trade chip in the off-season, since there are various situations he could fit into. He could still start on numerous teams around the league as a third or fourth option, or come off the bench for a contender. It's just a matter of which team is willing to absorb the last season of his contract.
Chris Andersen
76 Games (6 starts)
3.6ppg 3.9rpg 0.9bpg
.524 FG% .714 FT%
The trade of Hickson for Andersen turned out to be relatively even. The Birdman has contributed more for the Nuggets on the defensive end, but offensively, we were also reminded of how limited he is. When he's on the court, opposing teams have been willing to leave him alone in order to double team a more potent offensive player, such as Arron Afflalo, Wilson Chandler or Ty Lawson.
While his offense has proven to be problematic at times, he provides enough effort on the other end to justify the minutes he gets. At this point of his career, he's still good for 10-15 minutes a game and was a pretty good insurance policy while JaVale McGee was injured. Not bad for a guy who's probably in the second last season of his career.
Gary Harris
70 Games (6 starts)
8.9ppg 1.2rpg 2.2apg
.467 FG% .420 3PT% .760 FT%
Initially the plans weren't big for Gary Harris in his rookie season, but that all changed when Brian Shaw saw how dangerous he could be. In his first season, Harris is arguably one of the elite shooters in the league already, with a three point percentage over 40.
The most impressive thing about Harris is that he has come out of a college as a two way player. Not only does he provide a solid scorer off the bench, but he's quite a good defender as well. Assuming that Arron Afflalo sticks around, Harris could be a handy sixth man for the Nuggets, but if AAA happens to decline his option, he wouldn't look out of place as a starter.
Erick Green
54 Games (1 start)
5.3ppg 3.5apg 0.8spg
.423 FG% .365 3PT% .958 FT%
Along with Gary Harris, Erick Green was arguably the find of the season for the Nuggets. His numbers don't jump out off the page, but in his short career, Green already has a reputation as a player who can come up big in the clutch. He's a streaky, microwave type player, as well as being a decent on-ball defender. The combination of these skills was a big factor in why Erick Green stole most - if not all - of Nate Robinson's minutes.
Green's lack of athleticism will probably keep his ceiling lower than a lot of point guards in this league, but when you consider that the Jazz drafted him with pick 46 in the 2013 draft, he has well and truly overachieved at this point of his career.
Jusuf Nurkic
55 Games (23 starts)
3.7ppg 4.2rpg 0.7bpg
.522 FG% .590 FT%
If the production of Harris wasn't proof that the Nuggets got the better of the draft day trade, Jusuf Nurkic also adds weight to the argument. Nurkic earned a starting role when JaVale McGee injured and he did a pretty good job. He's not an athletic guy, but he's similar to Nikola Pekovic - he's hard to move off the block and does a good job hitting the offensive boards.
Even though there isn't a big role for Jusuf Nurkic in the foreseeable future, that could very well change if both JaVale McGee and Chris Andersen decide to leave Denver at the end of next season. In the meantime, Nurkic is a nice third centre to have on the bench.
Mirza Teletovic
50 Games
4.4ppg 2.3rpg
.390 FG% .374 3PT% .704 FT%
Mirza Teletovic was essentially acquired for his expiring contract, so in many ways, there wasn't a huge commitment to see what he could provide the team. It also doesn't help that he missed a good chunk of the season with an ankle injury. From what I saw, he did an okay job as a stretch four and could rebound at a decent rate. Having a power forward that can shoot beyond the arc is always handy, but with Derrick Williams, Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler all hitting threes at a better rate, Mirza Teletovic would benefit from testing the free agent market.
Darrell Arthur
36 Games (3 starts)
4.9ppg 2.5rpg 0.7bpg
.569 FG% .308 3PT% .806 FT%
It wasn't a bad season for Darrell Arthur. He had some games where he was quite useful on both ends of the court. However, he was in a bad situation for a player of his talent. He was stuck behind an All-Star in Kenneth Faried and J.J. Hickson. When Mozgov was traded, Derrick Williams began to eat into his minutes as well. At that point, it became clear that he wasn't going to be re-signed in the off-season and things continued to go south from there. It's a shame, because he really could be a decent role player for the Nuggets at any other time.
Nate Robinson
43 Games (2 starts)
9.8ppg 1.4rpg 4.1apg
.441 FG% .413 3PT% .926 FT%
Nate Robinson was dissatisfied for most of the season because of his lack of playing time, and looking at his numbers, he probably had a point. There were times during the season where he was at his lethal best on offense, but once it was decided that the team was going to try and develop Erick Green's game, it seemed easier to bench a dissatisfied player and play a prospect who was eager to learn instead of doing the opposite. The Nuggets may have lost a servicable role player in the process, but they also gained an underrated prospect.
Kelenna Azubuike
11 Games
5.5ppg 0.6rpg 0.7apg
.295 FG% .225 3PT% 1.000 FT%
It's really difficult for a basketball player to join an NBA team towards the end of the season, particularly when that player hasn't been in the league for almost 3 years. Azubuike had a couple of games that were a throwback to his time with the Golden State Warriors, but for the most part, he was an erroneous signing for the Nuggets.
