The Denver Nuggets got some bad news on Friday. The team announced that backup guard Julian Strawther suffered a knee sprain in Wednesday's preseason matchup against the L.A. Clippers and is now set to be sidelined for at least the next six weeks.
With Strawther expected to miss at least the first 17 games of the season, the Nuggets will need someone to fill his shoes. This is obviously a blow to Denver's bench unit, but fortunately, it feels like they have the personnel to temporarily fill the new void. Let's take a look at three players who could actually benefit from Strawther's absence as the Nuggets search for his replacement:
Alpha Diallo
The most obvious answer is Alpha Diallo. Before Strawther's injury, the Nuggets were expected to have trouble deciding how to find minutes for Diallo in the rotation. Now, a spot has opened up for him.
Diallo, the reigning EuroLeague Best Defender, has already proven to be an elite defensive talent for the Nuggets. He does not have the offensive arsenal that Strawther has, but he will undoubtedly make an impact on the defensive end.
In preseason, Diallo averaged 4.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game, shooting 37.5% from deep. He will take some time to fit into Denver's offensive system, but he will make an immediate impact defensively for a team that ranked 21st in defensive rating last season.
Cam Whitmore
As good as Diallo is defensively, the Nuggets might need more of an offensive spark in Strawther's place. That is where Cam Whitmore enters the conversation. The 22-year-old wing is the youngest player on Denver's roster, despite entering his fourth NBA season, and has proven he can be a high-impact scorer when given the chance.
In preseason, Whitmore averaged 8.6 points per game while shooting 45.2% from the field. He had two games with 14 or more points, showcasing that he can be a bench spark for this Nuggets team.
With Diallo filling in for Strawther, the Nuggets' offense would rely solely on DeMar DeRozan. By mixing in Whitmore, some pressure gets taken off the 37-year-old veteran, ultimately helping the Nuggets' bench scoring. It will be tough to decide when they need extra defense or extra offense, but they have two solid options in Diallo and Whitmore.
Bryce Hopkins
While Bryce Hopkins is not the defender that Diallo is or the offensive talent that Whitmore is, he brings a bit of both to the table. David Adelman has shown through preseason that he likes what he sees from the second-round rookie, as he even played the entire fourth quarter in Friday night's preseason finale.
Hopkins's preseason numbers do not jump off the page, averaging just 4.0 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, but he has shown some potential to be a real difference-maker. Hopkins certainly does not have as good a chance to replace Strawther in the rotation, but the talented rookie could still see an increase in minutes.
With Strawther sidelined, Hopkins steps into a third-string role for Denver, and we could see him make the most of the extra opportunities whenever the Nuggets need him.
Add us as a preferred source on Google