There’s an expectation that Bol Bol will claim the last available two-way slot for the Denver Nuggets, a Denver Post report suggests. Bol, the No. 44 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, would join Tyler Cook if such a deal comes to fruition.
While there’s nothing official yet, the decision to let Bol log time in the G League while rehabilitating from a foot injury sustained during his lone season at Oregon is an intriguing one. That would preserve Denver’s final 15-man rotation spot for another signee either now or during the season.
As Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors points out, no player drafted higher than 49th has signed a two-way deal, so the decision to develop Bol in this manner would be somewhat unprecedented. Bol’s unique combination of precarious health and high-ceiling talent, however, may demand an unconventional approach.
One significant wrench in the plans to develop Bol on a two-way deal, shuttling him back and forth between the big league squad and its affiliate with ease, is the fact that Denver doesn’t have one.
The Nuggets are one of two teams without a G League affiliate, meaning Bol would have to rehabilitate with a G League franchise affiliated with another organization.
While Bol would get to spend 45 days with the big league club on a two-way deal, that’s not the same as letting team doctors and team trainers monitor his health in team facilities all season long, as was the case for Michael Porter Jr. in 2018-19.
Regardless of where the 7’2″ big man ends up, he’ll have plenty of work cut out for him to prove that his foot concerns are a thing of the past. Bol did participate in some pre-draft workouts but was held out of Summer League to ease the strain on his troublesome navicular bone fracture.
