Denver Nuggets Blog – Page 17 – NBA Blog

Nuggets sign Monte Morris to two-way contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed rookie Monte Morris to a two-way contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Morris, 6-3, 175, was drafted by Denver with the 51st pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. He averaged 9.5 points, 2.2 rebounds, a team-high 4.3 assists and 1.33 steals in six games (four starts) for Denver’s 2017 Las Vegas Summer League squad.

Morris played four seasons at Iowa State University, averaging 12.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.61 steals in 140 career games (121 starts). He was named All-Big 12 First Team as a senior in 2017 with averages of 16.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.5 steals per game. The Grand Rapids, Michigan native was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team as both a junior and sophomore.

Nuggets sign Torrey Craig to a two-way contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed rookie Torrey Craig to a two-way contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Craig, 6-6, 215, appeared in six games (two starts) for the Nuggets’ 2017 Las Vegas Summer League entry, averaging 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 22.2 minutes per game.

The Rock Hill, South Carolina native went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft and has spent the past three seasons starring in the Australian National Basketball League. He played for the Brisbane Bullets during the 2016-17 season where he was named both the Australian NBL Defensive Player of the Year and the Most Improved Player while earning All-NBL Second Team honors. He played collegiately at the University of South Carolina-Upstate for four years, earning NABC All-District First Team honors three times and also being named the Atlantic Sun Player of the Year as a sophomore.

Nuggets sign Paul Millsap

The Denver Nuggets have signed free agent forward Paul Millsap to a multi-year contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

According to multiple reports, the deal is a three-year, $90 million contract.

Millsap, 6-8, 246, has spent the last four seasons in Atlanta where he averaged 17.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.67 steals and 1.17 blocks in 297 games (294 starts). He was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star Team in each of his four years with the Hawks and he helped lead them to the #1 seed in the East during the 2014-15 season. He was named to the All-Defensive Second Team in 2016, earned Co-Player of the Month honors for January 2015 and Player of the Week honors twice (Jan. 27, 2014 and Apr. 11, 2016).

The 11-year NBA veteran spent the first seven years of his career as a member of the Utah Jazz after being selected with the 47th overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft. Millsap averaged 12.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.10 steals in 540 games (265 starts) with the Jazz. He was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2006-07 and appeared in all 82 games three times with Utah. Overall, Millsap has appeared in 837 career games (559 starts) for Atlanta and Utah, averaging 14.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.30 steals in 29.5 minutes per game.

Millsap has reached the playoffs in nine of his 11 years in the NBA, advancing to the Conference Semifinals or farther on five occasions. He has appeared in 87 career playoff games (42 starts), posting averages of 13.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.06 steals and 1.24 blocks per game. He most recently averaged 24.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.70 steals in six games during the 2017 Playoffs.

The Monroe, Louisiana native spent 12 years of his childhood as a member of the Montbello, Denver community before returning to the State of Louisiana for high school and college. Millsap attended Louisiana Tech University where he played three seasons, averaging 18.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 1.32 steals and 1.99 blocks while shooting .576 from the field in 92 total games (91 starts). He was named WAC All-Conference First Team as a junior and sophomore and was named All-Conference Second Team as a freshman. He also earned WAC All-Defensive Team honors as a senior.

Millsap will wear #4 for the Nuggets.

Three-team trade sends Danilo Gallinari to Clippers, Jamal Crawford to Hawks

The L.A. Clippers announced today the team has acquired forward Danilo Gallinari from the Denver Nuggets as part of a three-team trade that sends Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone and L.A.’s 2018 protected first round draft pick (via Houston) to Atlanta and a 2019 second round draft pick from Atlanta (via Washington) to Denver.

Gallinari, 28, averaged 18.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 63 games (all starts) last season with the Nuggets. An eight year NBA veteran, Gallinari has appeared in 460 career games (390 starts) with Denver and the New York Knicks, and owns career averages of 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds 2.0 assists. The Sant’Angelo Lodigiano native was originally selected by the Knicks with the 6th pick in the 2008 NBA Draft after spending four-plus years playing internationally in Italy.

“Since we acquired Danilo in 2011, he has exemplified every positive aspect of the organization we are continuing to build,” said Nuggets President and Governor Josh Kroenke. “His hard work, professionalism, and efforts in the Denver community during his time with us will forever make him a fan favorite. On behalf of Nuggets fans everywhere and our entire organization, I would like to thank him for everything he did during his time with us and wish him nothing but the best in the future both in life and in basketball.”

“Danilo has been a special player for the Nuggets organization as well as a prominent figure in the Denver community for the last six years,” stated Connelly. “He was a consummate professional throughout his time with us and we want to wish him all the best as he begins this new chapter.”

Stone, 20, was a second-round pick of the New Orleans Pelicans (40th overall) in the 2016 NBA Draft, and was traded to the Clippers on draft night. Last season, he played in seven contests with the Clippers, spending much of the year in the NBA G League with Santa Cruz Warriors and Salt Lake City Stars. In 13 games (two starts) in the G League, the 6’11 center averaged 16.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 21.7 minutes (.491 FG%, .826 FT%).

The Milwaukee, WI native played his freshman season at the University of Maryland, averaging 12.5 points and 5.4 rebounds in 22.6 minutes (.568 FG%, .761 FT%) before declaring for the 2016 Draft.

Crawford, who has won the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award a record three times (including with Atlanta), played from 2009-11 with the Hawks, and has also seen action with the Chicago Bulls (2000-04), the New York Knicks (2004-08), Golden State Warriors (2008-09), Portland Trail Blazers (2011-12) and the Clippers (2012-17).

In 17 NBA seasons, the 6’5 guard holds career averages of 15.3 points, 3.5 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 30.6 minutes (1182 games, 433 starts). He was originally the eighth overall pick of the 2000 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers after playing one season collegiately at Michigan.

Nuggets sign rookie Tyler Lydon

The Denver Nuggets have signed rookie forward Tyler Lydon to a multi-year contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Lydon, 6-10, 215, spent two seasons at Syracuse University where he averaged 11.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.6 blocks and 1.1 steals in 71 games (34 starts). He was named All-ACC Honorable Mention as a sophomore after averaging 13.2 points, a team-high 8.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.0 steals per game. As a freshman, he helped lead the Orange to a Final Four appearance. He was also selected to the All-ACC Academic Team as a sophomore. The 21-year-old New York native was also a member of the 2014 USA Basketball Men’s Under-18 National Team that won the 2014 FIBA Americas Championship.

Denver acquired the rights to Lydon (24th pick) along with third-year forward Trey Lyles in a draft-night trade with the Utah Jazz in exchange for the rights to the 13th pick (Donovan Mitchell).

Lydon will wear #20 and will play for the Nuggets’ Summer League entry in Las Vegas during the MGM Resorts 2017 NBA Summer League.

Danilo Gallinari to the Clippers

The Clippers backcourt is weaker now with Chris Paul gone, but their frontcourt will receive a boost thanks to the upcoming re-signing of Blake Griffin and newly reported addition of small forward Danilo Gallinari. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

The LA Clippers have acquired Denver Nuggets free-agent forward Danilo Gallinari on a three-year, $65 million contract as part of a three-team sign-and-trade deal, league sources told ESPN.

Los Angeles, Denver and Atlanta reached agreement Tuesday night on a deal that will have the Clippers send Jamal Crawford, Diamond Stone, a 2018 first-round pick previously acquired from Houston and cash to the Hawks, league sources said.

Atlanta will send a 2019 second-round pick it previously acquired from Washington to Denver to complete the trade, league sources said.

Paul Millsap to sign with Nuggets

An early theme of 2017 free agent negotiations continues: Yet another really good NBA player is leaving the Eastern conference and heading West. The latest being versatile power forward Paul Millsap, who will reportedly say goodbye to the Atlanta Hawks and sign with the Denver Nuggets. Here’s the Denver Post reporting:

The Nuggets landed one of the most significant free agents in franchise history Sunday night, agreeing to a three-year, $90 million deal with power forward Paul Millsap, a league source confirmed.

Millsap, 32, was an all-star with the Atlanta Hawks each of the last four seasons and gives the Nuggets an impact frontcourt presence alongside center Nikola Jokic.

Jamal Murray named to All-Rookie Second Team

The NBA announced today that Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has been named to the All-Rookie Second Team.

Murray, 6-4, 207, appeared in all 82 games (nine starts) in his rookie campaign, averaging 9.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 21.5 minutes per game. He scored 20+ points on seven occasions and registered one point/assist double-double.

The native of Kitchener, Canada was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November after averaging 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. He was also named MVP of the 2017 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge after posting a game-high 36 points (9-14 3FG) and a game-high 11 assists in a 150-141 Team World victory.

The 20-year-old guard finished the season ranked sixth among all rookies in scoring, ninth in assists, 10th in minutes per game and 11th in three-point field goal percentage. He made the second most three-pointers of any first-year player (115) and was one of just three rookies to appear in all 82 games.

Murray was drafted by Denver with the 7th overall selection in the 2016 NBA Draft after spending one season at the University of Kentucky. He is the eighth Nugget in franchise history to be named to the All-Rookie Second Team.

Jamal Murray undergoes surgery

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has undergone successful surgery to repair core muscle-related injuries, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

The surgery was performed by Dr. William Meyers at the Vincera Institute in Philadelphia.

Murray averaged 9.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists while being the only Nuggets player to appear in all 82 games (10 starts) this season. He was named Western Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October and November after kicking off his NBA career by averaging 10.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists through his first 18 games. Murray also took home the MVP award for the 2017 BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge after posting a game-high 36 points (9-14 3FG) and a game-high 11 assists in a 150-141 Team World victory.

Murray will resume basketball related activities this summer and is expected to be at full-strength when the Nuggets open training camp this fall.

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray to have surgery

Here’s the Denver Post with an update on a young Nuggets guard:

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will have surgery Thursday to address a “couple of injuries,” general manager Tim Connelly said during a radio appearance on Altitude 950 AM on Wednesday afternoon.

Murray, who averaged 9.9 points during his rookie season, played part of the season with a sports hernia. Connelly didn’t reveal the issues the guard’s surgery would address. Murray, the only member of the team to play all 82 games last season, routinely downplayed any injuries or pain he was experiencing late in the year.