Nuggets snag Gonzaga sniper Julian Strawther with No. 29 pick of NBA draft

The Denver Nuggets have a type.

Under Nuggets GM Calvin Booth, that much is obvious.

The Nuggets drafted Gonzaga wing Julian Strawther with the No. 29 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, underscoring Denver’s commitment to positional size.

The pick was the result of a recent trade with Indiana and the transaction wasn’t finalized as of Thursday night.

Strawther, a 6-foot-7 junior, adds another versatile piece to Denver’s depth chart. At Gonzaga, particularly this season, Strawther flashed an elite ability to shoot from distance. With a quick release and deep range, Strawther provides what every team is looking for: shooting.

This season, he made nearly 41% of his 5.3 3-point tries per game. In each of his three seasons, his percentages improved. Strawther averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 rebounds for the Bulldogs this season.

Booth is always hunting for wings. In his first draft last season, he took Christian Braun and Peyton Watson, two forwards with excellent positional size.

In Strawther, he found size and shooting.

In Strawther, the Nuggets found a big playmaker to potentially aid the second unit. The reserves could look significantly different next season depending on how Bruce Brown handles his free agent decision. The Nuggets would love if he returned, but they can’t guarantee it will happen.

Thursday’s first-round pick seemed to hedge in the event he left.

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