Keita Bates-Diop

[NuggetsWY]

6'8" - 7'3" wingspan athletic small forward that plays defense against almost anyone. A hard worker on and off the court. (Another Second Round pick for Denver. )

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keita_Bates-Diop
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bateske01.html

[skywalker33]

I really liked KDP in the 2018 draft, seems he could defend and score. I really feel he ( the 1st and Napier ? ) were the key for the Nuggets, he could be another strong defender off the bench. However we lost a 2nd round pick with this trade for him. We traded a 2nd to move up for Vanderbilt when we could've just picked KDB who went 5 picks after our own in the 2018 draft.

[skywalker33]

Wasn't crazy about losing Vanderbilt but lately heard of a poor work ethic....hearing just the opposite of KBD

[skywalker33]

Have to say I am impressed that KBD got into and actually fared well in his first game as a Nugget. I'd really like to see him get more minutes thru the rest of the season 1) to see how viable his defense is and 2) to continue his development for next year, he needs to get used to Malone's system.

[packforfreedom]

We were pretty high on him. Versatile player, lenghty with good defensive upside, he is built like AK47 and pretty mobile, too. He is a good cutter, has a nasty eurostep and is automatic from three at times. He's still a little lost in defense schemes and people were questioning his overall potential due to his lack of elite athleticism, but I think he can become a very solid rotation player.

[skywalker33]

We were pretty high on him. Versatile player, lenghty with good defensive upside, he is built like AK47 and pretty mobile, too. He is a good cutter, has a nasty eurostep and is automatic from three at times. He's still a little lost in defense schemes and people were questioning his overall potential due to his lack of elite athleticism, but I think he can become a very solid rotation player.

Definitely seems like a player with some upside, a little farther along for us than Vanderbilt was. Has more offensive potential IMO

[THE J0KER]

Low expectations from him this season and postseason with Denver have so many useful frontcourt players. But next season when we going to lose 2-3 of them things can change overnight. If he is not in Malone future plans better to trade him this summer as asset, we don't need another frustrated forward on the bench without playing time (Faried, Lyles, Juancho...).

[skywalker33]

Low expectations from him this season and postseason with Denver have so many useful frontcourt players. But next season when we going to lose 2-3 of them things can change overnight. If he is not in Malone future plans better to trade him this summer as asset, we don't need another frustrated forward on the bench without playing time (Faried, Lyles, Juancho...).

So who are the 2-3 candidates that AREN'T coming back ??

[THE J0KER]

Low expectations from him this season and postseason with Denver have so many useful frontcourt players. But next season when we going to lose 2-3 of them things can change overnight. If he is not in Malone future plans better to trade him this summer as asset, we don't need another frustrated forward on the bench without playing time (Faried, Lyles, Juancho...).

So who are the 2-3 candidates that AREN'T coming back ??

5 frontcourt players expiring this summer, plus we can trade Barton or move him to SG spot.

Plumlee, Millsap, Vonleh will go most probably, while we will try to hold Grant and Craig, but if some desperate or rebuilding team offers 15M+ to Grant or 7M+ starting job to Craig, we are not in a position anymore to overpay own players. I don't expect to see about 3 out of these 5+1 frontcourt guys next season, while I guess Bol Bol will be added, that is how I calculated that 2-3 prediction.

[NuggetsWY]

Low expectations from him this season and postseason with Denver have so many useful frontcourt players. But next season when we going to lose 2-3 of them things can change overnight. If he is not in Malone future plans better to trade him this summer as asset, we don't need another frustrated forward on the bench without playing time (Faried, Lyles, Juancho...).

I certainly hope Malone doesn't refuse to give him minutes - but I truly expect Malone to continue his approach to not play young players. He's 24 and in his second season. He's played in 67 games averaging around 17 mpg in Minnesota. I believe he's ready to play but I thought Beasley was ready to play too, so ...

[skywalker33]

Low expectations from him this season and postseason with Denver have so many useful frontcourt players. But next season when we going to lose 2-3 of them things can change overnight. If he is not in Malone future plans better to trade him this summer as asset, we don't need another frustrated forward on the bench without playing time (Faried, Lyles, Juancho...).

So who are the 2-3 candidates that AREN'T coming back ??

5 frontcourt players expiring this summer, plus we can trade Barton or move him to SG spot.

Plumlee, Millsap, Vonleh will go most probably, while we will try to hold Grant and Craig, but if some desperate or rebuilding team offers 15M+ to Grant or 7M+ starting job to Craig, we are not in a position anymore to overpay own players. I don't expect to see about 3 out of these 5+1 frontcourt guys next season, while I guess Bol Bol will be added, that is how I calculated that 2-3 prediction.

I agree Plumlee is on the way out, he certainly isn't going to get paid close to what he's making now here in Denver. Same can be said for Millsap but it really wouldn't surprise me to see PM back at the vet's minimum or close to it. And if Plumlee is gone, that really opens the door for Vonlah to stay, we're going to need a backup and the more I think about it, Bol seems more and more like a PF than a C.

I have a hard time thinking the Nuggets would give up their 1st only to let Grant walk away. I do agree if he get a huge overpay that could happen but hard to see that happening given his statistical year, not exactly earth-moving. Feels more like he has more value to the Nuggets than to most other teams. Craig is a bit of an enigma to be, he certainly has stepped up on the defensive end. I've never been a big Craig fan...until recently. We need more stoppers and if we have a defensive unit of Millsap, Craig, KBD,Harris with Bol as an eraser-type it feels like with that unit can shut down a lot of team that need to be stopped.

[skywalker33]

A bit disappointed, seems Malone is back to his old ways. I thought KBD might get some PT, especially with all our other forwards having rough nights, but no trust, no PT.

[NuggetsWY]

A bit disappointed, seems Malone is back to his old ways. I thought KBD might get some PT, especially with all our other forwards having rough nights, but no trust, no PT.

Malone said from the beginning they he wanted to win all the time and he has lived up to it. He doesn't really try to develop young players. He can't look past the next play to consider later in a game much less look past a game to consider the next few games or the rest of the season. Even during "garbage time", he tends to avoid playing his deep bench until even "garbage time" is worn out. He prefers to play veterans and not just veterans but his favorite veterans.

With that said, the team has improved it's record each year and he could just manage that remarkable feat again.

Our trade deadline pickups could be helpful but it seems unlikely Malone is going to give them much playing time. Bates-Diop looks like he has serious potential and it seems unlikely Malone will play him. Then again, all we traded for him was basically two unused players that are looking mighty fine in Minnesota.

[The Rebel]

As long as Millsap, Grant, Barton, and MPJ are all healthy than I do not see anyway that he is going to get minutes. I don't know that you can get upset with Malone for not playing him given the depth at the position.

[NuggetsWY]

As long as Millsap, Grant, Barton, and MPJ are all healthy than I do not see anyway that he is going to get minutes. I don't know that you can get upset with Malone for not playing him given the depth at the position.

Well, I understand what you are saying but Malone uses Craig sporadically because his offense isn't consistent and his defense is better than most. Why not use Harris the same way? You know I'm not a Barton fan but he's having a great year. So why not use the following 9-man rotation?

Jokic-Plumlee
Millsap-Grant
Porter Bates-Diop
Barton (Murray)
Murray-Morris

[The Rebel]

As long as Millsap, Grant, Barton, and MPJ are all healthy than I do not see anyway that he is going to get minutes. I don't know that you can get upset with Malone for not playing him given the depth at the position.

Well, I understand what you are saying but Malone uses Craig sporadically because his offense isn't consistent and his defense is better than most. Why not use Harris the same way? You know I'm not a Barton fan but he's having a great year. So why not use the following 9-man rotation?

Jokic-Plumlee
Millsap-Grant
Porter Bates-Diop
Barton (Murray)
Murray-Morris

I think the hope is that Harris wakes up and remembers how to score one day, if he does he is still a great defender and makes a difference. People underestimate how much having Harris helps against all the great guards in the league. For all his hype our defense was bad those few games where Barton started at SG, as the entire scheme depends heavily on the guards to fight over screens and that is not exactly a strength for Barton or Murray.

We need scoring off the bench badly with your lineup, and we all know Craig is not going to get benched for KBD. Craig would start over anybody on the roster if Malone could figure out how to justify it. Literally the only guy who can create for himself off the bench is Morris, the rest are all best off the ball.

[The Rebel]

Sounds like we are not going to guarantee KBD's contract. While he did put out a lot of effort, he seems like he still has some work to do to be a contributor for a good team. Maybe a team like the Thunder will pick him up and help him develop.

https://www.denverpost.com/2020/11/21/nuggets-free-agency-jerami-grant-paul-millsap/

[DaFan334]

I was kind of hoping he would slide into the Craig role this year and potentially do well. I am curious if that plan changed at all with the rescinding of Craigs QO.

[G R E Y]

Hello Nuggets fans,

We just signed KBD to a two-way contract. Reading through this thread, it sounds like he has some game and is a hard worker. Good signs. He was also behind some players which, along with Malone's reluctance to play him, made him the odd man out.

Can you give me some insights into his game? Sounds like you would like to have kept him and I'm curious to know what we have to look forward to. Thanks!

[eathb_au]

Hello Nuggets fans,

We just signed KBD to a two-way contract. Reading through this thread, it sounds like he has some game and is a hard worker. Good signs. He was also behind some players which, along with Malone's reluctance to play him, made him the odd man out.

Can you give me some insights into his game? Sounds like you would like to have kept him and I'm curious to know what we have to look forward to. Thanks!

Long boy an athletic, has the tools to be very good 3&D but seemed lost a few times either due to inexperience or lack of development