The Denver Nuggets continue to add talent to an extremely deep roster.
According to a report from ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nuggets will acquire Jerami Grant from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. The Thunder, who have now acquired six first-round picks in the last three days, will save $39 million with the move.
Oklahoma City Is trading F Jerami Grant to Denver for a 2020 first-round pick, league sources tell ESPN. Deal brings OKC it’s sixth future first in past week and saves Thunder $39M in salary and luxury tax.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 8, 2019
Grant, 25, is coming off of the best season of his five-year career – in 80 regular season games with OKC, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged a career-high 13.6 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 49.7% from the field and a career-high 39.2% from beyond the arc on nearly four attempts per game. He appeared in all five of the Thunder's postseason games, posting averages of 11.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 blocks while shooting 50.0% from the field and 45.0% from deep. He has one year remaining on his contract and will be a free agent in 2020.
Denver, who finished second in the Western Conference with a 54-28 record last season, came within one win of advancing to the Western Conference Finals before falling to the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 7 of the Semifinals. In addition to retaining each of their 10 minutes leaders from last season, the Nuggets stand to add talented rookies Michael Porter Jr. and Bol Bol in addition to the newly-acquired Grant.
With the continuity in place from last season and the roster's abundance of talent, Denver will contend for Western Conference supremacy along with the two newly-formed powers in Los Angeles.
