The Denver Nuggets have a much deeper roster this season than they are given credit for. This week, head coach David Adelman admitted that he was worried the Nuggets would only have nine reliable players this season, but he was proven wrong at training camp. Players like Alpha Diallo, Trevon Brazile, and Cam Whitmore have all stepped up , but a new standout could join this battle for the final rotation spots.
After practice on Friday, Adelman said one player stood out to him the most: Ryan Nembhard. The Nuggets signed the 23-year-old point guard to a two-way contract a couple of days into training camp, and now he is already turning heads.
"The guy who stood out to me was Ryan Nembhard," Adelman said. "Ryan Nembhard had a great day. Picking people up full [court]. Competing. He can run a team. He's been good. I'm not saying I'm surprised, but he does some things I didn't realize he could do at his size. He had a great day."
When the Nuggets were able to pick up Nembhard, it was immediately viewed as a good signing . After the impressive rookie season he had with the Dallas Mavericks, getting him on a two-way contract is a bargain. Sure, he is undersized at 5'11", but based on what Adelman is saying, that is not a problem at all.
In 60 appearances with the Mavericks last season, he averaged 6.6 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, while shooting 41.5% from the field and 35.6% from beyond the arc. Considering he was an undersized, undrafted guard, Nembhard put the NBA on notice last season.
After the Nuggets signed Nembhard, many fans were excited because he has the potential to be a more reliable backup point guard than Tyus Jones. Granted, fans might be underrating Jones, who Adelman has continued to say he trusts in this position, but having Nembhard there to compete for a spot is still a positive.
It would be surprising if Nembhard ever jumped Jones as the second-string point guard, but if he continues to impress Adelman like this, he could be the next man up if any injuries get the best of the backcourt.
In his first two preseason games as a Nugget, Nembhard has recorded seven total points and nine assists through 33 minutes of action. Hopefully, he can continue to get some preseason opportunities to prove himself. Having a competitive point guard who can handle the ball and play hard defense is valuable for this Nuggets team, and the more he impresses Adelman, the better chance he has to actually play.
"If he gets out there and earns playing time, I think he'll help us in that way," Adelman said about Nembhard's transition defense, keeping the door open for the two-way guard to earn minutes.
Regardless, we cannot really expect Nembhard to be a part of the rotation. While he is a good third-string point guard to have on the roster, there are not enough minutes to go around for all the players in Denver who seem to deserve a rotation spot. Guys like Nembhard, Whitmore, Brazile, and DaRon Holmes will all likely be sitting on the outside of the rotation, even though they are talented enough to play.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/nuggets/onsi as A New Nuggets Training Camp Standout Could Fight for a Rotation Spot .
