Denver Nuggets Summer League head coach Jordi Fernandez didn’t mince words when describing what Brandon Goodwin needs to do in order to take the next step in his development.
“If he wants to be a part of this locker room or in the NBA, earn a contract that's different from a two-way, he has to change his mindset [as a guard],” Fernandez said on Tuesday. “He's a great scorer, rebounder for his size. In the NBA, he's not going to play, taking 20 shots like he did in the G League. He's aware of it. He knows he needs to pick up full court on defense. He needs to push the ball offensively, get the team into their offense and be able to score when he's in the open court.”
Fortunately, for Fernandez and the Nuggets, Goodwin is fully aware of how significant the upcoming Summer League is for his future. He wants to prove he can be trusted as a point guard in the NBA.
“They know what I can do, they want to see me do it at the best of my ability,” Goodwin told Nuggets.com. “Now, it's about what can I keep doing and what can I do to get better. I think they've put me in a great position to run a team and just improve individually.”
Goodwin’s slick ballhandling skills and better-than-advertised athleticism earned him a two-way contract with the Denver Nuggets last season. While he played sparingly in the NBA (appearing in 16 games), he got an opportunity to showcase his skills in the G League with the Iowa Wolves. In 26 contests, the 23-year-old averaged an impressive 22.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists and shot 48.6 percent from the floor.
Due to Goodwin’s familiarity with the Nuggets offense, he will likely start for the team when it opens against Phoenix at the Thomas & Mack Center Friday. It’s a big contrast to the summer before when Goodwin, who went undrafted out of Florida Gulf Coast in the 2018 draft, was fighting to find a fit on an NBA roster. He landed a spot on the Memphis Grizzlies’ Summer League team but struggled for playing time as a backup guard. There weren’t any significant expectations for Goodwin in Memphis, but the Nuggets are keen to see his growth as a playmaker on display in Las Vegas this year. The guard believes he’s proven himself in minicamp so far.
“I think it’s just reps,” Goodwin said. “During the season, I wasn't able to go up and down much in the regular NBA game. Now, being able to play 5-on-5 every day with highly-competitive players and be put in situations where I have to do those things, it makes it a lot more comfortable for me heading into Summer League.”
Fernandez has also enjoyed seeing Goodwin’s improvement.
“He’s a guy we believe in and we want him to be a part of our culture and our team,” the coach said. “He's been great [in minicamp], he looks like a grown man trying to lead the team. He gets to do a lot more now in Summer League.”
Still, Goodwin knows he’s got some tough competition for playing time with Summer League teammates Jordan Davis and Keifer Skyes.
“Training camp has been really competitive, especially at the one spot,” Goodwin said before adding. “It's basketball at the end of the day, we're all coming together for a common goal -- that's to keep moving up the ladder, win a championship together and ultimately make a team.”
With a group that features the highly-touted Michael Porter Jr, Jarred Vanderbilt and Vlatko Čančar, the Nuggets are one of the favorites at the tournament. If Goodwin can provide steady play and leadership from the point guard position, it could go a long way.
“I think we're going to be really good,” he said. “I think we have a good chance to win the 'ship as long as we play together and keep on building chemistry throughout minicamp.”
He added, “We've been winning a lot of games in our 5-on-5s [the starting group]. I can credit that to being a great teammate, making sure my teammates are getting great shots. Making sure I'm putting them in positions to be successful.”