This is the perfect contract for Bol Bol. And the Denver Nuggets.
Bol, the No. 44 pick in the most recent draft and the son of former NBA player Manute Bol, will sign a two-way contract for the coming season, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Denver Nuggets‘ No. 44 pick Bol Bol has signed his rookie contract, a two-way NBA deal, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 4, 2019
This is a good fit because Bol has potential but also is raw and is going to need time in the G-League to get his body right and acclimate to the NBA-style game. Denver is a good development team and is taking this at the right pace.
Bol’s potential is not in question: He’s a 7'3" big man who averaged 21 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.7 blocked shots a game at Oregon last season, and he’s as good a three-point as maybe anyone in this past draft class.
So why did a guy with lottery skills drop to 44th in the draft? He only played nine games at Oregon due to a Navicular bone fracture in his left foot — big men with foot issues worry teams (he didn’t play in Summer League in part to make sure he was fully recovered). More concerning, there are questions about how much he actually loves the game and will be willing to put in the work it would take to become a valuable NBA player.
That’s what Bol can prove in the G-League — that he’s got the drive and work ethic. He’s got to get stronger and be better at defensive recognition (although his length covers up a lot of mistakes), but it’s all within his reach. He’s just got to want it.
Denver made a smart move trading to draft for Bol in the middle of the second round, by that point there was little risk. Now giving him a two-way contract is the right move. The Nuggets have handled this well and the front office there is reportedly confident he can make the leap up to the NBA. Now it’s on Bol to reward that faith.