(Boulder-CO) If there was any question whether or not Von Wafer is serious about making a NBA franchise, and more importantly the Denver Nuggets, all said inquiries were met with an emphatic answer in tonight’s final Sin City summer league meeting with the Knicks. Despite losing the game, 116-108, Wafer concluded this summer league quintet of games with a 42 point performance, in a mere 26 minutes of playing time, on 16-26 from the field, including 5-9 from downtown!
It was an offensive showing of professional caliber regardless of continent, league, or time of year and I think any basketball beat writer, player, or fan could appreciate the showing Wafer put on. And who knows? If he would have played more minutes he probably could have hit fifty easily!
The Nuggets now finish the 2007 NBA summer league 3-2 overall with tonight’s loss and the game two loss to the Mavericks.
Individually speaking, with his 42-point outburst Von Wafer moved himself into third place overall in summer league scoring average at a pace of 24.2 points per contest which trails only Marcus Banks of the Phoenix Suns, (who, by the way, only played one game and exploded for 42 points, respectively), and Louis Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers who posted an average of 34.2 points in a total of five games of action.
I personally think that a pending cross-over from the NBDL to the NBA by Wafer would be a fairly seamless one that the Nuggets could easily, and financially, afford to take the risk on. He addresses the Nuggets dire need for a three-point specialist and at 6’5” he is a big guard that the Nuggets could pull of the bench when the undersized duo of Chucky Atkins and Allen Iverson need relief on either offense, or more realistically, defense.
He’s at least got to be as good as DerMarr Johnson, right? So, why not move in another direction and give Wafer the nod?
I, for one, will be campaigning for Wafer to make next year’s roster. It seemed like the Nuggets had too many guys at the end of their bench that were not able to contribute down the stretch run , for one reason or another, and I think that Wafer is a guy that could really help this team. He has continued to shoot the lights out of the gym whether he is in the D-League or up against guys who are already playing role positions for other NBA teams and, as we all know, the Nuggets need help shooting the ball from distance. Last year’s 28th place ranking out of a total of 30 NBA teams in three-point percentage continues to prove that the Nuggets worst deficiency is the long ball and, plainly stated, Von Wafer is a player that could dramatically improve that standing next year!
Sign Von Wafer! He’d be cheap! He’d be fresh! He just might be the next big D-League player to cross-over and take the NBA by storm!
Go Nuggets!
5 comments:
Well I must say I'm pleasantly suprised with Von Wafer. Sure he sounds like a quaint snack from the cookie aisle at Wal-mart, but who cares! Us Nuggets need help and I hope his hard work pays off. And I must say, Louis Williams the a summer league GUY, he will drop 40+ points all summer. When it comes time for the big boys to play, he'll pull 6-8 minutes a night. Billy King just doesn't get it.
No, he certainly doesn't! But here's to hoping that Stan Kroenke does get, "It", and is planning on cutting DerMarr to make room for Wafer. It is definately time to move in a different direction both for Johnson and the Nuggets.
Thanks for reading,
The Nugg Doctor
I too cheer for signing Wafer, but he still has a lot to learn, I mean, he is still most famous for being on the wrong end of this play...
YIKES! That was a facial of humongous proportion.
Props for the link, geerten!
Thanks for reading,
The Nugg Doctor
You can't go without mentioning that shot he made that was close to thirty feet long while late in the game. That was amazing!!!
Post a Comment