It feels like a lifetime ago at this point, but Markus Howard led the nation in scoring at Marquette last season (27.8 points per game). Between 10.1 3-point attempts per game and making 41.2 percent of them, with a 84.7 percent conversion rate from the free-throw line as a senior, he looks like a great fit in the modern NBA.
But Howard went undrafted, and he signed a two-way deal with the Denver Nuggets.
Howard is a very undersized guard (5-foot-11, 180 pounds), but his offensive ability has a place somewhere in the modern, position-less NBA. A look at the scouting report on Howard shows why he went undrafted.
Strengths
- Possesses an NBA-ready shooting stroke, especially from 3-point range
- Creates his own offense off the dribble and as a ball-handler in pick-and-roll sets
- Takes advantage of mismatches to punish defenses
Weaknesses
- Undersized compared to typical NBA guards
- Commits too many turnovers; he averaged more turnovers per game (3.4) than assists (3.3) last season
- Projects as a below-average defender at the next level
With usage rates over 37 percent like Howard had in each of his final two years at Marquette, turnovers are a residual. More turnovers than assists per game last season is a big concern, but the result is out of your hands if teammates don’t convert off your passes.
A look at deeper metrics on Howard’s stat sheet at Marquette shows he was not a great defender. But, with the caveat of it being college ball, he was not an unmitigated disaster.
Defensive Win Shares: 2018-19-1.7; 2019-20: 1.0
Defensive Box Plus/Minus: 2018-19-1.0; 2019-20: 0.6
As Mike Singer of The Denver Post noted, the NBA has relaxed its rules regarding two-way players for the upcoming shortened season. Long story short, Howard can be on the active list for the Nuggets for up to 50 games.
Denver is fairly deep in the backcourt. Jamal Murray and Gary Harris hold down the starting spots, with Monte Morris, rookie RJ Hampton and the prospect that Real Madrid point guard Facundo Campazzo comes aboard. If Will Barton can ever stay on the floor, that’s a formidable set of guards. And a tough rotation for Howard to crack if it remains intact.
A flier on Howard was well worth if for any team, and the Nuggets pulled the trigger. Maybe he becomes a sixth-man who can pull an offense out of the doldrums in a game, maybe he becomes a lot more. Or maybe be washes out of the league quickly. But if your making a list of teams who can ring everything Howard has to offer out of him, the Nuggets would be high on that list.
