The OG Anunoby Mistake the Nuggets Will Always Regret

The Denver Nuggets might be watching this year's NBA Finals kicking themselves after watching what could be this year's Finals MVP, New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, perform on the biggest stage.

That's because they almost could've gotten their hands on him in the 2017 NBA Draft. However, they would end up falling just one pick short of being able to secure him.

How Nuggets Almost Snagged OG Anunoby in 2017

Turning the clock back to 2017–– nearly 10 years ago at this point–– the Nuggets were within reach of securing a lengthy, defensive-minded prospect out of Indiana who had a ton of fans coming into the draft by the name of OG Anunoby.

The Nuggets were among those teams with interest, according to AltitudeTV's Vic Lombardi. And they had ample opportunity to secure him with their 13th selection on the board.

Doing so might've been perceived as a little risky, considering Anunoby was recovering from a torn ACL that naturally took a hit to his draft stock. But in terms of sheer talent, as a 3&D wing, he had a real chance to develop as an impactful starter at the NBA level, and one who even had the chance at being a lottery pick.

Instead of deciding to roll the dice with Anunoby at that 13th pick, though, the Nuggets and their front office brass at the time, led by now-Minnesota Timberwolves executive Tim Connelly, opted to take another direction; really for what might actually be considered the worst possible outcome they could think of.

The Outcome That Actually Transpired

First, the Nuggets would trade down from pick 13 to 24 with the Utah Jazz in exchange for Trey Lyles. That pick at 13 would end up being multiple-time All-Star and current NBA superstar, Donovan Mitchell. So a bit of a swing and a miss there already.

Even more crushing, the Nuggets were one selection away from seeing Anunoby fall into their laps at pick 24, and thus leaving the draft with a major steal, and perhaps one of the best players from this class entirely.

Jun 22, 2017; Brooklyn, NY, USA; OG Anunoby (Indiana) is introduced by NBA commissioner Adam Silver as the number twenty-three overall pick to the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Instead, he would be picked up by the Toronto Raptors at pick 23, ending any hopes of the Nuggets being able to select him, and Denver would instead end up with Tyler Lydon: a Syracuse forward who played 25 games across two years for the franchise before being out of the league entirely.

It's a rough draw for the Nuggets, and really any fan who had hopes of picking up Anunoby at the time. Seeing Anunoby pan out as one of the most impactful two-way players on a potential Finals-winning team makes that sting even greater.

The Silver Lining of It All

But the good news for Nuggets fans is that their hardships would be compensated with a Finals win themselves back in 2023––one that actually happened three years ago to the date of writing this––that makes missing out on a talent like Anunoby a little bit more digestible.

Jun 12, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets players and staff celebrate after winning the 2023 NBA Championship against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Perhaps that Nuggets core could be even stronger with a player like Anunoby in the fold, but there are no guarantees Denver even gets a title with the butterfly effect that would be in place had he actually been selected at pick 13.

So while hindsight is always 20/20, and Anunoby fits the mold of the exact type of player this current Nuggets core could utilize, who knows how things would inevitably end up if Denver actually got their hands on him?

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