The Denver Nuggets selected Gonzaga junior guard Julian Strawther from Gonzaga with the No. 29 pick of Thursday’s NBA Draft.
Three picks later, the team snagged Penn State point guard Jalen Pickett, and at No. 37, the team added Clemson forward Hunter Tyson.
Both of the first two picks were announced for the Indiana Pacers. On Wednesday, Denver and Indiana agreed to a trade that sent the 29th and 32nd picks to the Nuggets in exchange for the No. 40 pick and a first-rounder next year.
Strawther, who stands 6-foot-7 and 205 pounds, is known for his scoring ability, particularly from deep. He averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in the 2022-23 season for Gonzaga. He shot 40% from three-point range.
The Las Vegas native famously hit a three-point shot in the closing seconds of the Zags’ Sweet 16 win over UCLA in this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Strawther played three seasons with Gonzaga. His Bulldogs teams made it to the Sweet 16 or better in each of those seasons, including a title game appearance in his freshman campaign.
9 days until the NBA Draft!
— Pull up shoot (@NElGHT_) June 13, 2023
Julian Strawther is another fun option for the Celtics @ 35. He can SHOOT and has a nice float game.
Some highlights from his 40 ball: pic.twitter.com/HQ83wDKRgt
Pickett averaged 17.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 6.6 assists in a productive senior season for the Nittany Lions. He gained momentum leading up to the draft as a potentially promising round-2 selection, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Woo.
Pickett played three seasons at Siena in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference before transferring to Penn State for his final two years as a collegiate player.
With the 32nd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, The Denver Nuggets select Jalen Pickett#MileHighBasketball
— NBA CHAMPIONS Barstool Denver (@BarstoolDenver) June 23, 2023
pic.twitter.com/TuEuiHS3Zx
Tyson was the selection at No. 37 – another pick Denver added via trade. Tyson is another scorer, having averaged 15.3 points and 9.6 rebounds as a fifth-year senior in 2022-23 for Clemson.
I'm being told the Nuggets picked Clemson forward Hunter Tyson at No. 37.
— Nick Rothschild (@nick_rothschild) June 23, 2023
I say that because I literally have no clue where any of these guys are going anymore because of trades. There has to be a better way to do this #Denver7
Denver stocked up on draft picks as a way to land complementary players at an affordable rate. They do so as they brace for the possible departure of integral role player Bruce Brown.
The Associated Press on Wednesday reported Brown would become a free agent this offseason after declining his $6.8 million player option for next year.
The Nuggets are likely to be among the teams penalized for going over the league’s luxury tax threshold, according to For The Win. Under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, doing so would cost them the ability to use the mid-level exception – which allows teams to go over the salary cap once per season to sign players – in future years.
