If Bol Bol can remain healthy for the Denver Nuggets, he has the talent and potential to be an all-star in the NBA
The Denver Nuggets pulled off a significant move in the 2019 NBA Draft by waiting until late in the second round to draft Oregon center, Bol Bol.
For the 2018-19 season, Bol was injured, and this impacted his draft position. Bol was thought of by some as worthy of being a lottery pick in the 2019 draft.
In the nine games Bol played at Oregon, he averaged 21 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game while shooting 52 percent from 3-point range on nearly three attempts per game. Moreover, unlike most centers, Bol is a good free-throw shooter and on roughly four free-throw attempts per game at Oregon he averaged 75.7 percent from the free-throw line.
Offensively, Bol is an exceptional talent and is reminiscent of Kristaps Porzingis. Like Porzingis, Bol is an injury concern in the future for any team. However, with the young talent the Nuggets have on their roster, they can afford to take the risk of drafting and rehabilitating Bol. He is fundamentally sound and has no flaws as an offensive player.
Despite the concerns that some analysts are having with Bol, Bol is a perfect center for the modern NBA. Bol’s ability to hit the 3-point shot is unparalleled for a player his size in the 2019 NBA draft. His combination of height and offensive versatility is also not possessed by another player in the 2019 NBA draft. However, his success is obviously contingent upon his health and this has been a problem for Bol in the past.
The Nuggets move was similar to what they did with Michael Porter Jr. out of Missouri and Jarred Vanderbilt out of Kentucky. Bol, MPJ, and Vanderbilt could be outstanding players for the Nuggets moving forward. All three players have the potential to be starters for the Nuggets and to make an NBA all-defensive team.
If MPJ, Vanderbilt, and Bol can return healthy, they can be solid starters for the Nuggets and are potential All-Stars.
Bol being drafted by the Nuggets has been drafted into a great situation. The Nuggets last season had the second-best record in the Western Conference, and he has the chance to learn from maybe the best center in the NBA in Jokic. Playing in Denver will also allow him to rehab appropriately and to come back fully healthy.
In a way, the Nuggets were lucky that Bol was injured in his 2018-19 season with Oregon. If he played more games last season, he would have likely gone higher in the 2019 NBA draft and would have been picked by another team. Similarly, Bol by being injured was lucky because he was able to start his career on a team like the Nuggets.
The Nuggets have one of the best young teams in the NBA. The talent on their roster includes 9 players under 24 that are capable of starters in the future: Bol (19), Jarret Vanderbilt (19), MPJ (20),Jamal Murray (21), Malik Beasley (22), Trey Lyles (23), Monte Morris (23), Jokic (23), and Garry Harris (24). Plus, Will Barton and Torrey Craig are only 28 years old.
Even if Bol takes two seasons to rehab, when he returns to playing, he could be a real force for the Nuggets off the bench or in the starting lineup. A frontcourt of Bol and Nikola Jokic could be the best frontcourt in the NBA. Bol could play center and Jokic could still run the offense as a power forward. Moreover, Bol could also come off the bench and play while Jokic is resting.
For the Nuggets, drafting Bol was worth the gamble. A potential starting line-up in the next couple of seasons of a healthy Jamal Murray, Garry Harris, MPJ, Vanderbilt, Jokic with Bol on the bench could make the Nuggets the best team in the Western Conference.
Bol can definitely put the Nuggets over the top in the near future. In the 2019 playoffs, the Nuggets were one game away from making it to the Western Conference Finals. Depending on what the moves the Lakers make this offseason, the Nuggets are one player away from making it potentially to the NBA finals next couple of seasons.
If he can stay healthy, Bol will be a great addition to the Denver Nuggets.