One of the Nuggets’ more successful G-League projects in recent years, Jahmir Young, has signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Miami Heat. Young went undrafted last season before signing with the Nuggets. He was waived but played with Denver’s G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold, and played his way onto the All-Rookie team.
The Miami Heat and Jahmir Young have agreed to a deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Young will compete for a two-way spot. He appeared in six games for the Chicago Bulls and averaged 21.7 points, 7.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.9 steals in 43 G League games played last season pic.twitter.com/7qvViuoH6i
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Young starred in college for Charlotte, then Maryland, but at just 6’1”, there were doubts about his role in the NBA. He played well enough in the G-League, but the Nuggets have shown that they want wing-sized players who can shoot and play defense with their two-way spots.
He didn’t fit that mold, and with the Nuggets’ newly added depth, Young likely never would have gotten a real shot to prove himself in Denver. He latched on with the Bulls in February and made his NBA debut, but was waived in July.
Now, he has a chance to go to training camp in Miami and prove himself. He’ll be able to fight for one of the Heat’s two-way spots and perhaps, eventually, make his way to the NBA roster. The Heat have a great history of developing players, and they are lacking the depth and assets to truly compete.
As much as any team, they need to hit on some young lottery tickets that could grow into stars, and Young is a worthy gamble.
Nuggets’ two-way players all in wing mold
The Nuggets do have an open roster spot and an open two-way spot, but there has been a clear theme this summer. They’ve signed Kessler Edwards to an E-10 deal, Tamar Bates and Curtis Jones to two-way deals, plus added Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown in free agency.
All of those players can shoot and defend on the wing. They can all play with and without the ball and have enough size to hold their own in almost any situation. With Nikola Jokic and, to a lesser extent, Jamal Murray in tow, it makes perfect sense for Denver to build around them with as many “3 & D” type players as possible.
The guys they’ve signed (and traded for in Cam Johnson) all fit that mold, and while they may not all come in and impact the NBA roster from day one, the vision is clear. For the most part, two-way spots get recycled over and over around the league, and few players graduate from those positions into meaningful contributors, but it does happen.
There are a few hits every year across the league, and winning on the margins like that can make a massive impact. The Nuggets haven’t had that kind of luck in a while, but that would further cement their offseason as a huge victory.
