Denver traded out of the first round on Tuesday, but the second round still has real value for a team looking to add cheap contributors.
The Denver Nuggets earned the third seed in the West, but Minnesota knocked them out in six games during the first round and exposed some real depth problems.
Instead of swinging on a player at No. 26, the front office sent the pick to San Antonio for the 35th overall selection and two future second-rounders.
The Spurs took UConn center Tarris Reed Jr., and the Nuggets now hold two picks on Wednesday at No. 35 and No. 49. The move signals confidence in the current core, but Denver still needs to find guys who can help right away.
Isaiah Evans, Duke
If Evans is still on the board at 35, the Nuggets should not think twice.
The 6-foot-6 sophomore averaged 15.0 points per game while shooting 36.1 percent from three on over seven attempts a night, and his 101 made triples led Duke this past season.
Evans has the kind of off-ball shooting and length that would plug right into Denver's five-out system around Nikola Jokic, and while he is on the lighter side at 175 pounds, his shooting makes him one of the best values in this range.
Ryan Conwell, Louisville
Conwell is a player the Nuggets have reportedly had their eye on, and it would not be a surprise to see them grab him if he slides to the second round.
The 6-foot-4 senior guard put up 18.8 points per game at Louisville while earning All-ACC Second Team honors and scoring in double figures in all but one of his 34 games.
What stands out is that he plays much more physical than you would expect, and at 215 pounds he has the build to hold his own on the defensive end.
With Denver potentially losing bench scorers like Tim Hardaway Jr. in free agency, Conwell could step right into that role.
Braden Smith, Purdue
Smith is the wildcard because his size does not scream NBA guard at 6-foot-0 and 170 pounds, but what he did at Purdue over four years is impossible to overlook.
He averaged 14.3 points and 8.8 assists this past season while finishing his career as the NCAA's all-time assist leader with 1,103, and his feel for the game translates to the next level.
The Nuggets showed interest in that style of playmaker when they brought in Tyus Jones last season, and Smith could be a younger and cheaper option who also spaces the floor at 36.2 percent from three.
Denver's second unit needs more ball-handling and creation, and Smith fits that perfectly.
The championship window with Jokic at 31 and Murray at 29 is not getting wider.
Finding contributors in the second round is how teams stay competitive when the cap gets tight, and Wednesday night matters more than it might look.
