Arron Afflalo

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The desire to succeed has always coursed through Arron Afflalo’s bloodstream.

After missing the playoffs during two seasons in Orlando, the veteran shooting guard is not tempering his expectations as he prepares for his second go-round with the Denver Nuggets.

“To have a team that I feel is pretty much 2-deep at every position in talent and experience and hunger to compete and prove themselves as players, I think this is a team with the caliber to make a run for a title.”

Afflalo will continue his pursuit of an NBA championship in Denver after the Nuggets acquired him for guard Evan Fournier and the rights to the 56th pick (Roy Devyn Marble) in Thursday night’s draft.

Afflalo’s name had been mentioned in trade rumors, but he didn’t necessarily think Denver was a potential destination.

“I was extremely happy,” he said. “For me, I already know the city itself. I’m very comfortable coming back. It fees like home in terms of my NBA career.”

Afflalo played modest minutes during his first two NBA seasons in Detroit, but his career took off after being traded to Denver in 2009. He averaged 11.9 points in three seasons with the Nuggets, improving his scoring each year while also excelling at the defensive end.

At 28, Afflalo is entering his prime as he reunites with Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson. The two became close friends during their time in Denver and will have instant chemistry during their sequel.

“I’m really going to enjoy playing with him,” Afflalo said. “He’s one of the best teammates I’ve had.

“He’s at a new stage of confidence in his career. I look forward to getting into his mind a little bit and helping him focus in terms of staying locked in on winning a championship and being the best player he can be. We have the potential to be an extremely good backcourt.”

Afflalo left the Nuggets as part of the three-team trade that brought Andre Iguodala to Denver and sent Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012.

While with the Magic, Afflalo continued to expand his game, averaging a career-high 18.2 points and serving as a mentor to Orlando’s younger players.

While he embraced the additional responsibility, the lack of success was difficult to cope with at times.

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Afflalo believes Nuggets can compete for title in his return to Denver

Nuggets general manager/executive vice president of basketball operations Tim Connelly vowed to be aggressive on draft night.

Connelly began the day by acquiring shooting guard Arron Afflalo from the Orlando Magic in exchange for guard Evan Fournier and the rights to the 56th overall pick (Roy Devyn Marble) of the 2014 NBA Draft.

Once the draft began, the Nuggets remained in deal-making mode. They selected Creighton forward Doug McDermott with the 11th overall pick but then traded his rights to the Chicago Bulls for the rights to 7-foot center Jusuf Nurkic (16th overall) and guard Gary Harris (No. 19).

Denver also sent forward Anthony Randolph to the Bulls and received a second-round pick in 2015.

“When the day started, if you said we’re going to walk away with Afflalo, Nurkic and Gary Harris, I would’ve been pretty excited,” Connelly said.

In Afflalo, the Nuggets receive an outstanding two-way player who flourished in Denver from 2009-12. He averaged a career-high 18.2 points last season, while shooting .427 from 3-point range.

“He brings the ability to play on both sides of the court,” Connelly said. “We were hoping to add toughness and a defensive mindset. He brings both of those things. It was really hard to trade Evan. I think he is going to be a heck of a player.

“On our end, we wanted to make sure we were putting the best team of the floor for next year. We liked how Arron and (point guard) Ty (Lawson) had success previously. We think he is one of the elite 2-guards in the league.”

Harris, also a shooting guard, is an outstanding defender who can develop behind Afflalo and veteran sharpshooter Randy Foye. He averaged 16.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists as a sophomore at Michigan State last season and was a First Team All-Big Ten selection.

Many draft prognosticators had Harris pegged as a lottery pick, so the Nuggets were able to secure the 19-year-old for a better value at No. 19.

“We were very excited to get Harris,” Connelly said. “We didn’t expect him to drop. It was a pleasant surprise.”

Harris, the 2012-13 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, did his best to stay calm as the first round unfolded.

“I didn’t know what was going to happen,” he said. “I was just waiting patiently until my name was called. I’m just happy to be drafted and I’m looking forward to getting to Denver and getting to work.”

As for Nurkic, he was considered one of the top centers available in the draft. At 280 pounds, he provides unique size in the middle and has drawn comparisons to Minnesota Timberwolves big man Nikola Pekovic, who averaged 17.4 points and 8.7 rebounds last season.

Connelly said Nurkic will be with the Nuggets next season rather than remain overseas. That will allow him to adjust to the American culture and work closely with Denver’s coaching and player development staff.

“He is a guy that has a world of talent,” Connelly said. “He’s got a skill set you don’t see. He can shoot. He can really pass. He’s a bear. He gets fouled at an unbelievably high rate. He’s got to work on his body. He’s got to work on his ability to defend. These are things that are not uncommon difficulties for a 19-year-old kid.”

The Nuggets later added another 19-year-old with the 41st overall pick, selecting Nikola Jokic out of Serbia. Jokic, 6-10, 254, averaged 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists for Mega Vizura Belgrade of the Serbian League last season.

“Given his age and size and ability to pass and shoot the ball, we were very excited to get him at 41,” Connelly said. “We were nervous he wasn’t going to be there.”
Asked to assess his second draft as Denver’s GM, Connelly said: “I got 20 calls saying it was great and 10 saying it was awful.”

“With our current roster, you kind of roll the dice. The expectations for these first-year guys are really low. Our goal is to be sustainable. We kind of helped replenished the ranks a little bit.”

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From start to finish, Nuggets enjoy productive draft day

DENVER, June 26, 2014 – The Denver Nuggets have acquired guard Arron Afflalo from the Orlando Magic in exchange for guard Evan Fournier and the draft rights to Roy Devyn Marble, the 56th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, General Manager/Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Afflalo, 6-5, 215, averaged 18.2 points and 3.4 assists – both career-highs – with the Magic last season. He also made 128 3-pointers and finished eighth in the league in 3-point accuracy (.427).

Afflalo, drafted 27th overall by Detroit in 2007, spent three seasons in Denver from 2009-12, averaging 11.9 points on .480 shooting, including .419 from 3-point range.

In seven NBA seasons with Detroit, Denver and Orlando, Afflalo has increased his scoring average each year. Overall, he has averaged 11.1 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 499 career games.

Fournier, drafted by the Nuggets 20th overall in 2012, averaged a career-best 8.4 points and made 89 3-pointers in 76 games last season. In two NBA seasons, he has averaged 7.4 points on .435 shooting.

“Evan is a great kid who has a promising career ahead of him,” Connelly said. “He did everything we asked of him here, and we wish him the best in Orlando.”

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Nuggets Acquire Arron Afflalo in Trade with Orlando

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