The Runner Sports
Home / Cities / Denver / Pick & Pop: Nuggets Reportedly Signing Erick Green

Pick & Pop: Nuggets Reportedly Signing Erick Green

As many people expected, the Denver Nuggets are (reportedly) finalizing a deal for Summer League stud Erick Green today. Since being drafted in 2013, the Nuggets have stashed Green on Montepaschi Siena in Italy (now that’s a team name). Having Green play in Europe kept him from impacting the salary cap last year, a move that has become commonplace in the NBA to save money while still retaining trade rights for many young players.

Don’t write Green off just because he’s been hiding in Europe though; he put up 16.6 points, 3 boards, and 2.6 assists per game while limiting his turnovers to a paltry 1.8 per contest. If he gets an opportunity to play with Nuggets long enough to get comfortable with his teammates, that turnover rate could very well drop even lower (though playing against the likes of Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook will be a bit different from matching up against legends such as Billy Baron or Dwight Buycks).

This isn’t just a Summer League fluke either. During his senior year in college, Green averaged 25 points, 4 boards, and 3.8 assists while playing for a less than stellar Virginia Tech Hokies team. While the Hokies were stuck in the ACC cellar all year, Green was still named the ACC Player of the Year. He also has decent length for a point guard, measuring up at 6’4”, which is particularly useful when your two other point guards are 5’11” and 5’9”. The Nuggets will need players who buy into the team defense to compensate for their good-not-great talent on defense, and Green has the potential to fit that mold perfectly.

Green could be a very useful addition to a Denver team that should be fighting for playoff contention in arguably the most difficult conference in all of sports. He fills a need at point guard, allowing the Nuggets to survive should any of his shorter counterparts come down with an injury. He also has the size and skill set to play the two guard when needed, and roster versatility is key in today’s NBA. If he can manage to play solid defense while also being a scoring threat, Green could become a useful bench player for the Nuggets in 2014/2015.

Author: Guest Writer

  • Joe Wolter

    Brb, getting a dog and naming it Montepaschi Siena

  • Lexi Gramal

    Does Gary Harris start??

    • Anthony Zaffino

      I wouldn’t count on it. He finished strong out in Vegas, scoring 33 points on 58.8% shooting, including 5-10 from beyond the arc.. The rest of his Summer League left a lot to be desired, and he ended up at 32.1% from the floor. He’s expected to be a shooter; He needs to learn how to shoot.