The Denver Nuggets may just have found a gem in a $1 million forward from Europe.
Alpha Diallo, who signed a one-year, $1,357,763 fully guaranteed contract with the Nuggets in July, made a strong impression in his NBA preseason debut for the team, earning high praise from head coach David Adelman despite the team’s 109-97 loss to the Utah Jazz.
The 29-year-old rookie and reigning EuroLeague Best Defender logged 13 minutes, recording two points, three rebounds, and two assists.
Nuggets Head Coach Praises Alpha Diallo
However, his relentless defense and defensive activity turned heads, giving the Nuggets great optimism for a cheap-contract player.
“Alpha Diallo is awesome. Second half, he guarded the hell out of people,” Adelman said after the game.
He said Diallo was “awesome” in the second half.
Diallo, who is coming off five seasons with AS Monaco in Europe, is already projected to be a primary defensive anchor off the bench for an otherwise offensively-heavy Nuggets rotation.
Diallo is standing at a listed height of 6 feet 7 inches and weighing approximately 210 pounds. He has the prototype frame of a modern small forward combined with a solid wingspan and lower body strength, giving him the lateral mobility and core strength to absorb contact.
Even before their preseason slate, Nuggets head coach Adelman was singing praises for Diallo, who was the team’s sneaky good signing this offseason.
“He can guard. He’s got a special skill. He doesn’t get screened. You can tell he played overseas, the physicality of what that is,” Adelman said. “I think offensively he’s been impressive. Kind of like Spencer [Jones], he knows where to be at the right time.”
Diallo is also seen as a key defensive replacement for Peyton Watson, who was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers via sign-and-trade last month.
Alpha Diallo Explains How Close Denver Is To His Heart
Alpha Diallo has been playing in Europe in the last half a decade, but Denver is already his second home after being with the Nuggets for just two months.
Diallo, originally from New York, said on media day that the city has welcomed him with open arms and he is ready to pay it forward with his play on the court.
“I think for me, Denver is like a second home. I’m originally from New York, but I went to high school out here for a few years, and I always came back in the summers as well,” Diallo said on media day.
“So Tyus [Jones] makes fun of me a little bit about it, about Denver being home for me. But, you know, it’s a surreal and great feeling for me being back here,” he added.
Diallo will likely split minutes and play alongside point guard Tyus Jones and young guard Julian Strawther, where his lockdown isolation defense will allow the offensive-minded guards to play more freely. Across the forward positions, Diallo will slot in next to DeMar DeRozan and Spencer Jones on the depth chart.
There is also a good chance Diallo would earn starter minutes if his defense holds up against the NBA’s elite offensive players and if his offense remains serviceable, especially against contenders.
The Nuggets need every contribution from any player, especially as they look to win another championship with Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon as their core.
Denver Nuggets May Have Hit Jackpot With $1.4 Million Forward