Kostas Papanikolaou

Papanikolaou played just one season for the Rockets before they decided to ship him off to Denver to help facilitate the Ty Lawson trade. There was some speculation the Nuggets would buyout Papanikolaou's contract and make him a free agent, but it appears they'll keep him for the time being. Papanikolaou is a 6-9 forward who can handle, distribute, and score. He showed this in his time at Olympiacos in the Greek League and at Barcelona in the Spanish League. In 2013, he was named the Euroleague Rising Star, and his stock rose as he caught the attention of NBA scouts across the league. After being drafted by the Knicks in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft, his draft rights were traded multiple times before ending up with the Rockets. Papanikolaou averaged 4.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 0.7 steals in 19 minutes per game through 43 contests last season as a rookie. He shot 35 percent from the field and 29 percent from three-point range. There were times when the youngster showed exceptional talent, but he just couldn't produce consistently enough to lock down an a consistent role with the Rockets last season. An ankle injury hampered him for a time, and he could never find playing time after the acquisitions of Josh Smith and Corey Brewer. Papanikolaou's role is up in the air for the Nuggets, and it's unclear what's in store for the 25-year-old sophomore.