The processors And the nuggets Approaching an agreement on trade that will send a point guard Monte Morris and the wing Will Barton Washington versus the alternative Kentavius Caldwell Pop and point guard ish smithsources say to Shams Charania of Athletic (Twitter link).
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski confirmed the conditions reported by Charania, adding (Via TwitterThe two parties are in the process of completing the transaction.
Witches, who have ever has been linked To Morris, he will get a much-needed point guard promotion in the trade, adding a player who was considered one of the best backups in the NBA before he was propelled to a starting role last season. Jamal Murray He recovered from anterior cruciate ligament surgery.
In his first year as a full-time rookie, Morris averaged 12.6 PPG, 4.4 APG and 3.0 RPG on shooting .484/.395/.869 in 75 games (29.9 mpg). The Nuggets have received calls from more than 20 teams about the 27-year-old, in every Mike Singer from The Denver Post.
Washington will also get Barton, a solid shooter and scorer who has averaged 14.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 3.3 APG with a 0.362 3PT% in 479 Nuggets regular season games since arriving in Denver in 2015.
Master processor trainer Wes Unseld Jr. He knows both players well, having previously worked as a Nuggets assistant.
This step reduces the possibility that wizards will seriously pursue a guard point such as Teos Jones In a free agency or Malcolm Brogdon via trade.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets will add a player they’ve been targeting since Caldwell-Pope’s trade deadline, according to Singer. Singer adds that Denver views Caldwell-Pope as a two-way upgrade on the wing, values his championship experience with the Lakers, and will be interested in retaining him beyond next season.
Caldwell-Pope, 29, averaged 13.2 PPG and made 39.0% of his three throws with the Wizards in 2021/22, while playing his usual solid defense.
As for Smith, it will provide depth at the guard post for the Nuggets that Murray must return this fall and see. Highland bones Enjoy hack season as a beginner. Assuming Smith plays in at least one game for Denver, he would be his 13th team in the NBA, breaking a league record, Tweets ESPN’s Matt Williams.
As ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out (Via Twitter), if no more players are added to the four-player deal, the two teams will have to wait until after the July moratorium to make it official, since Witches take in several million dollars more than they send in, while Nuggets save little money on the table. salaries for the next season.
Caldwell Bob ($14 million) and Smith ($4.73 million) went off-season without fully guaranteed salaries for 2022/23, but Caldwell Bob Imprisoned His guarantee on Tuesday and Smith is on his way to receive as well in order to abide by salary matching rules and make the deal legal. Unsecured salary Don’t count on deals for issued purposes.
Caldwell-Pope, Smith and Barton ($14.38 million) will all be on expired contracts next season and will be eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2023. Morris will earn $9.13 million on 22/23 and $9.8 million in 23/24 before Become an unrestricted free agent.
Nuggets will likely absorb Smith’s next contract using part of a $8.2 million trade exception created last week Jamical Green trade. This would allow them to create a new, larger commercial exception, worth no less than Morris’ previous salary ($9.13 million), per Marks.
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