Renck vs. Keeler: Can Julian Strawther be focal point for Nuggets bench that desperately needs scoring?
Denver Post
Renck: Lost in a quiet offseason, questionable defense and Jamal Murray’s fitness, did the Nuggets find the Strawther than stirs the drink? Or at least the Liquid IV to caffeinate the bench? The Nuggets dropped four of their five preseason games, but there has been one positive development: the improvement of second-year pro Julian Strawther. At 6-foot-7, 205 pounds, he provides an ideal mismatch on the perimeter, but it never translated last season when his rookie year was a brick-by-brick construction project. A year later, everything is different. So, Sean, can Strawther become the focal point of a Nuggets bench that desperately needs scoring to preserve minutes for Nikola Jokic and Murray?
Keeler: Can he? Sure. I mean, did you see those 23 points against Chicago? Or those 20 vs. Phoenix? Or … wait, wait, wait. Those numbers are from LAST fall’s preseason games. But you see my point, right? Preseason numbers don’t always translate when the real curtain goes up. Love the touch. Love the confidence. Love the swag. And the Nuggets need him. Badly. But if I have lingering doubts, here’s why: Per NBA.com tracking data, the ex-Gonzaga star averaged 24.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.3 made 3s per 36 minutes this month. Strong, right? Only Strawther averaged 27.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 5.4 made treys per 36 in the ’23-’24 preseason — then got hurt and sort of faded from the rotation.
Renck: Pro sports remain a humbling experience. In his last year at Gonzaga, Strawther provided a series of wows with clutch shots. In the NBA, he became a ghost. Coach Michael Malone was unable to trust him after he lost his range from distance. How a young player responds to adversity often defines his career. After shooting 29.7% from 3-point range last year, Strawther took the hint and hit the gym. The daily work is paying off. He is 13 for 26 from the behind the arc this preseason. Fake games can give real impressions. Strawther has earned the right to start the season as a volume shooter for the second unit.
Keeler: Strawther is one of several what I call “Hatteberg” guys on the Nuggets’ roster. Remember the movie “Moneyball?” Strawther is sort of a Scott Hatteberg type, a building block put in place by GM Calvin Booth who the coach/manager may not want to play. In the movie, fictional Athletics’ manager Art Howe refused to play Hatteberg, a walk-happy converted catcher, at first base even though that was the front office’s vision. Booth didn’t trade KCP, but he did trade Reggie Jackson, and the idea was largely the same — to clear more minutes for Strawther, Christian Braun and Peyton Watson in the rotation because there aren’t any real alternatives for Malone. For better or worse.
Renck: The concern is simple. Strawther shot well in the exhibition season as a rookie. So, he has to prove this is not a mirage. But those watching him believe he has turned a corner. The reality is that it is difficult to have confidence without results. Malone needs to design some early looks for him over the first few weeks to goose his scoring. The 22-year-old has the platform, now it is time to deliver. He has the talent. The Nuggets roster demands they show him patience, and on a team that must shoot and drain more 3s, Strawther represents this team’s most obvious X-factor.
Keeler: The Nuggets can win without being a “volume” 3-point shooting team — Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon are THAT good, especially as a tandem. But I’m not sure Denver can win big, or even notch home-court for the playoffs in the West without Strawther making up at least some of those departed KCP and R-Jax treys. That second unit needs a long-range hero. Russell Westbrook needs snipers to feed. Strawther is long and strong, but he’s not an elite defender (yet). That shot’s either going to be his meal ticket or his ticket outta town.
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