Las Vegas – Through two games and a scrimmage, three summer league Nuggets – Von Wafer, Jelani McCoy and Curtis Sumpter – have had more standout moments than others.
Wafer is the only safe player, with a one-year contract worth about $770,000 already in hand.
The guard’s goal, as well as the team’s, is for him to continue to get ready for training camp.
“We have to do a better job of getting Von more involved,” said Nuggets assistant coach John Welch, who is coaching the summer league team. “I think Von should be the focal point offensively. The kid can really score.”
Wafer is leading the team with 16.0 points per game. More important, he’s shooting a respectable 37.5 percent from 3-point range. The Nuggets are trying to upgrade their perimeter shooting.
“I’m getting to learn what we like to do and getting more familiar with our system,” Wafer said. “I’m having fun out here. I need to get my legs under me. This is the first real basketball I’ve played all summer.”
Sumpter, a rookie from Villanova, has impressed with his ability to do a little bit of everything.
“Curtis has been a pleasant surprise,” Welch said. “I was not familiar with Curtis, and I love the way he plays. He’s a basketball player, takes the ball to the rim, shoots the ball a little bit, makes plays for other players. A very nice all-around game.”
Sumpter’s 14.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game are accented with a 3-point touch that has him tied with Wafer in field-goal percentage.
But perhaps the biggest surprise has been McCoy, a former UCLA star who has been out of the league the past two seasons. His athleticism and tenacity have helped him average 13 points, 13 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots. He is shooting 92.3 percent (12-of-13) from the field.
“Jelani’s been great,” Welch said. “The big thing with Jelani is his ability to run the floor. He’s only taken shots he can make, and is rebounding the ball. I’m very impressed with Jelani. I didn’t realize he was that good of a player.”
Whether it translates into an invitation to training camp remains to be seen. Typically, the Nuggets will extend invitations to the top three on their list.
But, Welch said, “Some years it may be more, some years zero.”
Footnotes
Free-agent guard Steve Blake is in a holding pattern while Miami aggressively courts Milwaukee free-agent guard Mo Williams. If Williams signs with the Heat, it would cut off a big option for Blake, who would likely not return to the Bucks, the team that traded him to Denver in January. The Heat, along with the Nuggets, is among a few teams that have shown interest in Blake. If Williams falls through, Blake becomes a top priority for Miami. Blake and Memphis free-agent guard Chucky Atkins are atop the Nuggets’ list. Early interest in Clippers free-agent guard Jason Hart has cooled.
Staff writer Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com.
