The Denver Nuggets are finally getting All-Star Nikola Jokic some help at the center position. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday that the Nuggets acquired JaVale McGee in a trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In order to get McGee, the Nuggets gave up German power forward Isaiah Hartenstein and two second-round picks in 2023 and 2027. The 2023 pick is protected between No.31 and No.46, while the 2027 selection is unprotected.
This is a great deal for the Cavs, as they were looking to trade McGee for a while now. With the 33-year-old veteran out of town, the organization can now give a bigger role to their young center Jarrett Allen while also getting valuable assets for their rebuild.
Denver, on the other hand, got themselves a solid backup center. Despite his age, McGee brings rebounding and defensive awareness and should be a great addition to their second unit.
The deal will see JaVale McGee returning to the Nuggets after previously playing in Denver between 2012 and 2015. This season, McGee is averaging 8.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
Isaiah Hartenstein is in his third NBA season and has played in 30 games for the Cavs in 2020/21. He is averaging 3.5 points and 2.8 rebounds while spending 9.1 minutes on the floor.
