2021 NBA Mock Draft — 26. Trey Murphy III, Denver Nuggets
It’s pretty simple. Trey Murphy is a 6-foot-9 wing who hit over 40 percent of his 3s in college. The Nuggets could use more size on the wing, especially as Michael Porter Jr. figures out the defensive side of ball. Murphy is mostly a spot-up shooter, but few players serve up more open looks to teammates than Nikola Jokic.
This is a steep fall for Murphy, and frankly, he probably won’t drop this far on draft night. If he does, then Denver gets an excellent complementary talent who can defend multiple positions and stretch the floor. His release is a thing of beauty, and his relative inadequacy off-the-dribble would matter very little in context of Denver’s offense and roster. He simply needs to move, pass, and shoot, all of which he can do.
Depth was a slight issue for Denver last season, and especially in the postseason. Will Barton could leave in free agency, and there’s an urgency to start winning at the highest level, lest the reigning MVP get antsy. Murphy can help a winning team right away.