[Izulde]

It appears we also have the 29th pick, which surprises me and I don't remember where it came from. #2 came from the Heat, #25 came from the Clippers, #20 came from the Bulls... ah. #29 is our own pick, which I thought I'd traded away, but apparently we still have it. I don't remember who the mocks thought would go for that one, but it was probably another PF because the mock drafters are complete idiots.

In any case, we've had a sudden and abrupt shift in opinion as to the direction we're going and it remains to be seen just who we'll take at #2.

2022 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. PF John Walker - Boston Celtics

The experts, much to my amusement, are saying that we're looking to trade the pick. While it's true Deon Sterley had an underwhelming workout for us, even with fantastic intangibles, I'm not quite ready to give it up just yet.

They also bring up the possibility of Charles Diggs, a senior PG out of Illinois who's a score first type. Yeah, okay. Just because I brought Paulinho Buboltz in doesn't mean I'm going to stray from my philosophy of pass-first points.

I give a lot of thought to the idea of trading down, but in the end, there's a player I like too much to pass on.

2. C Kevin Bradford - Wake Forest

He's a senior who has great scoring and good rebounding ability. Not great on the defensive end and a little undersized at 6'10, 253 lbs, but something tells me he's another Jonte Jones.

The analysts hate the pick, but we'll see.

3. SF Prokopios Vadeki - Seattle Supersonics
4. PF Deon Sterley - Indiana Pacers
5. SF Jermaine Trask - Memphis Grizzlies
6. SG Teddy Harriman - New Orleans Hornets
7. SF Brad Randle - Phoenix Suns
8. PF Marko Vlasto - Los Angeles Lakers
9. PF Pat Baxley - Houston Rockets
10. SG Jay Brown - Golden State Warriors
11. PG Charles Diggs - Washington Wizards
12. PG Tom Singletary - Charlotte Bobcats

At this stage in the draft, Singletary is a great pick and one of the few the experts have agreed was a smart move so far. To be honest, we gave him a long look at #2 before choosing to pass on him for his horrible defense.

13. PG Chris Kimmel - New Jersey Nets
14. PF Billy Cullen - Atlanta Hawks

Now at this point, all the top players are gone and the two guys I like could be taken at any time. There's one player in particular I covet, so I contact the Spurs about moving up. They're being anal about it, though, so I have to watch and wait.

15. PG Dave Linton - San Antonio Spurs

The Jazz are much more agreeable to a deal and we strike one quickly.

Denver Nuggets receive
#16 pick

Utah Jazz receive
#25 pick
Boston Celtics 2024 2nd round pick
Denver Nuggets 2024 2nd round pick
Golden State Warriors 2024 2nd round pick

The analysts think it's just a move made to spin off into another trade, but they're wrong. I never move up unless it's to grab a specific player.

16. SG Joem Layne - Denver Nuggets

Big SG who has some talent at scoring and some great defensive ability according to our workout notes. Also a great chemistry guy who totally busts his ass to improve. Reminds me very much of a poor man's Mateen Yeaton in some ways.

17. SF Ray Carr - Philadelphia 76ers

And there goes the other player I was considering. Good thing I moved up to take Layne, even if J.P. flipped out over the pick.

18. SF Mark Fleming - Detroit Pistons
19. PF Joseph Barnes - Minnesota Timberwolves

Hah! The talking heads are convinced we're going to trade off the #20 pick. They sure seem hellbent that we're going to move down or out somewhere in this draft.

But picks for picks deals are notoriously difficult to pull off in the NBA. This isn't the NFL, after all. And while I'm not adverse to dealing Paulinho Buboltz before his salary turns into a giant albatross, finding the right value for him is difficult.

We have some fascinating discussions with the Raptors that almost lead to a blockbuster trade, but Sam and I agree to forget it at the last minute, in order to avoid being lynched by our respective fanbases.

And when I get right down to it, I have to admit to myself I like the pairing of Buboltz and Mateen Yeaton in our backcourt. I want to see them win a title together and we can always use whoever we pick as trade bait later on down the line.

With that in mind, I decide it's time to start taking flyers.

20. PF Jonathan Hill - Denver Nuggets

I feel like the coaching staff is underrating him and that he's a great value pick at this point in the first round. The analysts agree, calling it a very nice selection on our parts.

21. SF Mike Poole - Sacramento Kings
22. PF Lubomir Novotny - Milwaukee Bucks
23. PG Andre Harper - Cleveland Cavaliers
24. PG A.J. Lopez - Orlando Magic
25. SF Ladrick Battle - Utah Jazz
26. PF Mike Wise - Toronto Raptors
27. C Connor Augustus - New York Knicks
28. SG Aaron Smylie - Portland Trailblazers

For the 29th pick, they're suggesting we take Calvis Hayes. It's a thought, but there's actually one player I like a little bit better.

29. SG Darren Hare - Denever Nuggets

Tough, muscular senior from Louisville, but the analysts hate the pick.

30. SG Eric Bass - Miami Heat

First look after the draft says Kevin Bradford won't live up to the expectations of being a #2 pick and will bust. Jonathan Hill looks like a potential defensive specialist with not much else. Darren Hare doesn't look exciting either and Joem Layne appears to be a disappointing over-reach.

I renounce everyone but Victor Gipson and grimly note that even if we bring him back at a reduced rate, we'll still be over the $15 million mark, let alone anything above that.

Summer League
PG Carlton Goree
SG Darren Davis
SG Joem Layne
SG Darren Hare
PF Tzvetan Kishishev
PF Jonathon Hill
C Kevin Bradford

Summer League
A thrilling opening game sees us come from behind to beat Dallas 102-99. Lee McRae bursts for 24 points, Carlton Goree garners 11 points and 11 assists and Tzvetan Kishishev and Darren Hare score 12 and 11 points respectively off the bench.

No undefeated summer this time, as despite a furious rally, we fall 107-103 to Golden State. Carlton Goree scores 20, Darren Hare leads the reserves with 17 points and Chris Overton and Hsien-feng Mei each hit 10 points off the bench.

97-93 loss to the Hawks despite Carlton Goree's 18 points and 10 assists. Oh well, at least nobody's impressing me this year and tempting me to sign them in free agency.

A 100-84 win over the Bulls is keyed by balanced offense and 10 bench points from Chris Overton and Stan Yotov and we destroy the Celtics 116-82 to finish with a winning record. Chris Overton explodes for 22 points off the bench, Tzvetan Kishishev and Hsien-feng Mei scoring 15 and 12 points a piece.

Free Agency

Sexy young crop this year. Galen Drayton, Tim Butler, Sonny Boxler, Henry Fisher, Bryan Young, Valery Frahm, Charles Howard, Oswaldo Apolonario, Dontay Williamson just to name the biggest ones.

Oswaldo Apolonario leaves the Bulls for the Hawks on a 5 year, $55 million and change contract, an offer much bigger than we could afford to give him (mid-level max contract).

The New Orleans Hornets jump in on Victor Gipson, stealing him away on a one year mid-level exemption that absolutely shocks me. The sickening thing is, even with him gone, we're still over the $15 million personal cap.

I sign Winston Smith and bring back Lindsey Williamson, both on min-sal deals and use another min-sal deal to re-sign Jameel Williams on the same day Louis Mertens gets a 3 year, $14.8 millon contract from the Bobcats and Tyrus Thomas goes to Charlotte too, for a year and $4.7 million.

Training Camp

Mateen Yeaton definitely looked a step slower and weaker on camp, especially on defense. A worrying sign.

Rookies
Joem Layne
-Showed ability to defend, but little else. Still appears like he could be an adequate bench players.
Darren Hare
-Flawless FT shooter, but ordinary outside of that.
Jonathan Hill
-Looking quite the bust.
Kevin Bradford
-Showed a -very- minimal ceiling. Will still get the nod at PF though, simply because the coaching staff seems to hate Tzvetan Kishishev.

Reports out of the Pacers camp say Deon Sterley has some good potential, but isn't likely to recognize it mired on Indiana's bench. They're willing to do an even-up trade, but Sterley looks like a SF in a PF's body. No thanks.

The one good news from our camp is that Vinston Henry is moving ever closer to becoming an elite player and he should reach it sometime this season, especially since he'll be at his natural position of the 3 spot.

The preseason mags have the Clippers picked for first in the conference, followed by the Mavericks and then us. It's one of the very few times I can think of where I don't disagree with the assessment at all.

They're saying the East is Bulls, Knicks, Nets, Wizards. Yeah, not seeing that one at all other than the Knicks. Toronto may not have Chris Bosh or Andrea Bargnani this year, but Brandon Brooks gives the Raptors a legit PG and allows them to move Justin Richler to his preferred 2 spot and they still have David Anyan and Greg Oden. Eugene Whitmore's the PF and even though he's 32, his 7'3, 300 lbs frame and his skill set remind me a -lot- of Victor Gipson. Yet, the Raptors are still picked 7th. Asinine, I tell you.

I almost feel sorry for David Jackson. He finally won over the Hornets staff and got a starting job last year and what happens? Victor Gipson comes to New Orleans and steals it, just like he did in Denver. When you consider that Patrick Pastner's there too, it's a weird reunion of former Nuggets players on the same team. That's a blowup waiting to happen.

Denver Nuggets 2022 Opening Night Roster
PG Paulinho Buboltz
SG Mateen Yeaton
SF Vinston Henry
PF Kevin Bradford
C Jonte Jones
6th Carlton Goree (PG/SG)
7th Joem Layne (SG/SF)
8th Darren Hare (PG/SG/SF)
9th Tzvetan Kishishev (SF/PF/C)
10th Winston Smith (PF/C)
11th Jameel Williams (PG/SG)
12th Lindsey Williamson (SF/PF/C)

D-League
Darren Davis - Starting SG
Jonathan Hill - Starting PF

We're going to see in a hurry just what these rookies are made out of. In fact, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that how far we get depends on how quickly they pan out.