Memory Lane: Nuggets Draft Day History Part IV

(Boulder-CO) The second worst move the Nuggets have made in the last ten years, and one that is still haunting them today, was trading the rights to Jameer Nelson, the College Player of the Year in 2004 and 20th overall pick of the 2004 draft, to the Magic for their first round pick in 2005. As I have already illustrated in part II of this little mini-series, the 2005 draft was just another blunder for the Nuggets Nation and one that fruited nothing in return for Nelson.

On the other hand, the Magic received a player who started out as a solid back-up for Steve Francis and then proceeded to mature into the clear starter by the midway point in his sophomore season. Since starting his career with the Magic, Nelson has posted career averages of 11.9 points and four assists while keeping an extremely low mark of two turnovers per contest. Jameer has also connected on 35% of all the three-point attempts he has launched so far in his career and grabbed a career-high three rebounds per game last season!

It all adds up into a stinging-like sensation only comparable to sodium chloride rubbed into a fresh laceration when you consider the point guard position is still the main area of concern for the Nuggets. Jameer never even suited up a single game for Denver leaving them once again in the familiar position of having traded someone before they even knew what they had.

Aww, shucks!