With the regular season drawing closer and the Denver Nuggets having made some of their final roster moves, especially after signing DeMar DeRozan to a one-year contract, the few moves left to make are more of the housekeeping variety than anything else, especially when it comes to addressing their draft picks from this year.

The Nuggets were busy over draft weekend, ultimately not drafting in the first round after making several trades for picks with other teams, but they did have picks in the second round, including taking Bryce Hopkins out of St. John's University with the 49th-overall pick.

Keeping Hopkins Aboard

Per a report from HoopsHype's Michael Scotto, the Nuggets have agreed to a two-way deal with Hopkins, meaning the 6'6 forward will likely be playing in the G-League with the Grand Rapids Gold to start the season, though a stint with him at the NBA level next season isn't out of the question.

Nuggets Finally Sign Second-Round Rookie Bryce Hopkins to Contract — St. John's Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins (23) celebrates his three point shot against Connecticut Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) during the first half of the men's Big East Conference Tournament Championship game at Madison Square Garden. Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Nuggets' main motivation for being so shifting around so often during the draft was to avoid having to pay out a first-round pick level contract considering their tight financial situation created by the second apron, but that doesn't mean that Hopkins can't be a productive pick just because he was selected in the second round.

Hopkins played five seasons in the NCAA, though his senior season was effectively take from him after he tore his ACL just three games into the 2024-25 season. He began his college career at Kentucky for his freshman season, then played three seasons at Providence before finally finishing his career at St. Johns's.

St. John's Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins (23) shoots the ball against the UConn Huskies in the second half at PeoplesBank Arena. David Butler II-Imagn Images

More Time to Develop

In that fifth year, Hopkins averaged 13.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 28.8 minutes per game to earn an All-Big East second-team selection.

Hopkins has the physical tools to grow into even more of a factor at his position and based on his final season, while he may have lost a step after coming back from his knee injury, he can still build back the strength and speed that made him so effective at Providence.

St. John's Red Storm forward Bryce Hopkins (23) drives to the basket against Xavier Musketeers forward Jovan Milicevic (24) in the second half at the Cintas Center. Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Time in the G-League may be exactly what he needs to continue that development and with how full the roster already is, there wasn't going to be a place for Hopkins that didn't involve him battling it out for just a few minutes per game and in that case, giving him more time on the court with the Gold is a far better move for the future of his career.