Ranking Nuggets' Biggest Draft Day Mistakes of Last 15 Years

The Denver Nuggets have made a few recent draft mistakes.

Feb 9, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Denver Nuggets have made some incredible draft decisions over the past 15 years, headlined by the greatest second-round draft pick in NBA history. The Nuggets took a chance on Nikola Jokic with pick No. 41 in 2014, and ultimately paired him with Jamal Murray at pick No. 7 in 2016.

They have also found other difference-makers on draft night, taking Michael Porter Jr. in 2018 and Christian Braun in 2022, and trading for the draft right to standouts like Peyton Watson in 2022 and Jusuf Nurkic in 2014. However, with those smart draft night decisions have come a few costly ones.

Here is a look at the top three most regrettable draft night decisions the Nuggets have made in the last 15 years:

3. Drafting Emmanuel Mudiay

Nov 3, 2017; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay (0) reacts after a play in the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat at the Pepsi Center. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

In 2015, the Nuggets had their first top-ten draft pick since taking Carmelo Anthony third overall in 2003. However, they used it on Emmanuel Mudiay, taking him seventh overall. Mudiay was an intriguing prospect coming off a professional season in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), rather than playing in college.

Mudiay spent two-and-a-half seasons in Denver before getting traded to the New York Knicks, and while he was not completely horrible in his brief stint with the Nuggets, he certainly fell short of expectations. In his time in Denver, he averaged 11.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.5 turnovers per game with poor 37.5/32.8/73.6 shooting splits.

Mudiay ultimately played just five full NBA seasons and has not touched an NBA court since December 2021. Fortunately for Mudiay, he is still playing professional basketball overseas, most recently being named the 2025 MVP of the BSN while playing for the Piratas de Quebradillas in Puerto Rico.

In Denver's defense with this selection, not only was Mudiay a promising point guard prospect, but the following picks were equally bad. Directly following the selection of Mudiay, Stanley Johnson, Frank Kaminsky, and Justice Winslow all went off the board. The most notable lottery selections the Nuggets passed on were Myles Turner, Trey Lyles, and Devin Booker.

2. Trading Rudy Gobert

Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) dribbles the ball past Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) in the first half during game six of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

These draft-day trades are always tricky to look back on, because hindsight will always prevail. After selecting Rudy Gobert with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Nuggets immediately traded the French center to the Utah Jazz, in exchange for the draft rights to Erick Green (No. 46 pick) and cash considerations.

Of course, this Nuggets franchise would look much different if they had kept Gobert. However, there is also the scenario where he does not become the same player he is today without being traded to Utah. With the Jazz, Gobert won three NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, and another after being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

As a four-time All-Star, four-time DPOY, and nine-time All-Defensive Team member, Gobert has cemented himself as a future Hall of Famer. Instead, the Nuggets got Green, who averaged 9.1 minutes per game through 46 total appearances in Denver.

On the bright side, the Nuggets drafted Jokic the very next year, finding their Hall of Fame big man in the end regardless.

1. Trading Donovan Mitchell

Dec 27, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell (45) talks with Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) after a play in the third quarter at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Maybe the Nuggets have learned their lesson about draft-day trades with the Jazz. In 2017, the Nuggets traded the draft rights to Donovan Mitchell to the Jazz after selecting him with the No. 13 pick. In exchange, they received Trey Lyles and the draft rights to Tyler Lydon (No. 24 pick).

Of course, Mitchell has become one of the best guards in the NBA. The seven-time All-Star immediately made a huge impact in Utah, averaging 20.5 points per game as a rookie, and has been one of the most consistently dominant guards in the league since.

The Nuggets made this trade one year after drafting Jamal Murray, which certainly could have played a factor in the decision. However, one can only imagine how a backcourt of Murray and Mitchell would have performed alongside Jokic.

Trading the three-time All-NBA guard for Lyles, who played just two seasons in Denver, and Lydon, who made just 26 appearances as a Nugget, is an obvious blunder in hindsight.

The Nuggets hold the No. 26 overall pick in this year's draft and are certainly hoping that whatever they decide to do does not land on this type of list in the future.

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