Category: Denver Nuggets Blog

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Nuggets sign guard Davon Reed to 10-day contract

The Denver Nuggets yesterday (Saturday, December 4) signed guard Davon Reed to a 10-day contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced.

Reed, 6-5, 208, has appeared in seven games (all starts) this season with the Nuggets’ G-League affiliate Grand Rapids Gold, averaging 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.14 steals while shooting 42.9% from three in 35.8 minutes per game. He also played for the Nuggets in both this year’s preseason and Vegas Summer League entry.

Reed, 26, has appeared in 31 career NBA games for the Phoenix Suns (21 games in 2017-18) and Indiana Pacers (10 games in 2018-19), owning career averages of 2.4 points and 1.5 rebounds in 9.3 minutes. He has appeared in 93 career G-League games (89 starts) for Northern Arizona, Fort Worth, Sioux Falls and Grand Rapids, averaging 13.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

The New Jersey Native was drafted with the 32nd overall pick in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft. He spent four years at the University of Miami where he was named to the ACC All-Defensive Team and ACC All-Third Team in 2017.

Reed will wear #9 for the Nuggets.

Nuggets sign Michael Porter Jr. to contract extension

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Michael Porter Jr. to a multi-year contract extension, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Per the Denver Post, Porter Jr.’s deal is a “five-year, max contract extension worth as much as $207 million.”

Porter Jr., 23, had the best season of his young career in 2020-21, helping lead Denver to 47 wins in a 72-game shortened season and the three seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. In 61 games (54 starts), he averaged career-highs in points (19.0), rebounds (7.3), assists (1.1), field goal percentage (54.2%), three-point field goal percentage (44.5%) and minutes per game (31.3). He posted a career-high 39 points (8-12 3FG’s), along with six rebounds, three blocks and two assists vs. Houston on Apr. 24th.He became the first player since Joel Embiid in 2017 to post those numbers in the second year of their career and the third Nugget in franchise history to make seven or more three pointers in consecutive games.

More from the Denver Post: “Tim Connelly isn’t tossing chips to center of the poker table anymore. He’s pushing gold bricks. Connelly, the Nuggets’ president of basketball operations, has committed to roughly $115 million over the winter of 2022-’23 to Denver’s Core Four of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. That little flyover team on Chopper Circle, the one which has the reigning NBA MVP, is slated in 2023 to become just the fourth league franchise to boast three players on max contracts. The other three: the Lakers, Nets and Warriors. High rollers, all.”

Porter Jr. had one of the best shooting seasons in Nuggets history, finishing with 170 three-point field goals in 61 games played, ranking him fourth all-time for a single season in NBA franchise history. He also finished with the highest three-point percentage for a season (min. 150 attempts) in franchise history connecting on 44.5% from long distance. Additionally, he had 11 games posting at least five three pointers, tying the single season record for most games with at least five (Randy Foye, 2013-14).

Porter Jr. ascended in his role following the loss of Jamal Murray for the season on Apr. 12th. In the 17 games that followed, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 56.0% from the field and 48.9% from three. In that span, he had 12 games scoring 20+ points and eight games with four or more three pointers.

The Columbia, Missouri, native appeared in his second postseason in 2021 helping the Nuggets reach the second round of the playoffs for the third straight season. Porter Jr. started all 10 playoff games, averaging 21.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists, shooting 54.2% from the field and 44.5% from three in 33.2 minutes. He posted four games of 20+ points, including 26 points in both games five and six of the first round to help eliminate Portland.

Porter Jr. was drafted by the Nuggets with the 14thoverall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of the University of Missouri and missed his rookie campaign as he rehabbed from a lower back injury. Over two seasons with Denver, he has appeared in 116 games (62 starts), averaging 14.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 53.2% from the field and 43.9% from long range in 24.3 minutes per game. He has increased his scoring, rebounding, assists, field goal percentage and three-point percentage in each season of his career. Additionally, the Nuggets are 27-9 (.750) in Porter Jr.’s career when he scores 20+ points in game.

Nuggets sign Petr Cornelie to a two-way contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Petr Cornelie to a two-way contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Cornelie, 6-11, 220, most recently appeared in 34 games for Elan Bearnais of the French LNB Pro A league in 2021, averaging 14.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 54.0% from the field and 44.2% from three in 28.9 minutes per game. The 26-year-old also helped earn a silver medal for the France National Team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. In six games, Cornelie averaged 1.7 points, 2.0 rebounds while shooting 33.3% from the field.

The Calais, France native, was drafted in the 53rd pick in the 2016 NBA draft by the Nuggets. He has appeared in 14 games (seven starts) for three Nuggets summer league teams in 2016, 2017 and 2018, averaging 5.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 16.8 minutes per game.

Cornelie has played professionally since 2013, playing for Le Mans from 2013-17, Paris-Levallois in 2017-18, Le Mans in 2018-19 and most recently with Elan Bearnais from 2019-21.

Nuggets re-sign Austin Rivers

The Denver Nuggets have re-signed guard Austin Rivers to a multiyear contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Rivers, 6-4, 200, appeared in 15 games (five starts) for Denver last season, averaging 8.7 points, 2.6 assists and 2.3 rebounds in 26.9 minutes while shooting 41.8% from the field. He also appeared in 10 playoff games (nine starts) and averaged 9.2 points, 2.1 assists and 1.7 rebounds, shooting 41.5% from three in 30.5 minutes per game. He scored 21 points and connected on five three-pointers in a pivotal Game 3 win at Portland that helped Denver earn a third-consecutive first round playoff victory. Rivers originally signed a 10-day contract with the Nuggets on April 20, 2021 and then signed for the remainder of the season on April 30, 2021.

The 10-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 9.1 points, 2.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 41.8% from the field and 35.0% from long distance in 588 career games (156 starts) with Denver, New Orleans, L.A. Clippers, Washington, Houston and New York.

Rivers was drafted 10th overall by New Orleans in 2012 after spending one season at Duke University. In his lone collegiate season he averaged a team-high 15.5 points on 43.3% shooting in 34 games, becoming the third freshman ever to lead Duke in scoring.

Nuggets hire Popeye Jones as an assistant coach

The Denver Nuggets have hired Popeye Jones as an assistant coach on head coach Michael Malone’s staff.

Jones served as an assistant coach under Doc Rivers with the Philadelphia 76ers last season and spent the prior seven seasons with the Indiana Pacers as an assistant coach.

Jones had a three-year tenure with the Brooklyn/New Jersey Nets front office, starting in player development before transitioning to an assistant coach role. He began his coaching career with the Dallas Mavericks where he worked in player development.

Jones played collegiately at Murray State, where he is fourth on the Racers’ all-time scoring list. In 1992, the school retired his No. 54. A second-round pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, Jones played one season in Italy before joining the Mavericks in 1993. Jones also appeared in 40 games during the 1999-2000 with the Nuggets, averaging 2.6 points and 2.6 rebounds in 8.3 minutes per game.

Jones career spanned 11 seasons, appearing in 535 games (304 starts) for Dallas, Toronto, Boston, Denver, Washington and Golden State, holding career averages of 7.0 points and 7.4 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game.

Nuggets re-sign JaMychal Green

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward JaMychal Green to a multiyear contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Per the Denver Post, “Green agreed to a 2-year, $17 million deal, according to league sources. Green has a player option on the second year of his deal, a source said, and the deal is fully guaranteed.”

Green, 6-8, 227, appeared in 58 games (five starts) for the Nuggets last season, averaging 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds while shooting 46.3% from the field and 39.9% from three in 19.3 minutes. He also played in 10 playoff games, averaging 5.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 19.0 minutes.

The seven-year NBA veteran has appeared in 420 career games (157 starts) for San Antonio, Memphis, Los Angeles and Denver, holding career averages of 8.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.9 assists, shooting 47.0% from the field and 38.0% from three-point range.

The 31-year-old native of Montgomery, Alabama originally went undrafted in 2013 NBA Draft after spending four seasons at the University of Alabama. He signed a multiyear contract with the San Antonio Spurs in August of 2014.

Nuggets sign guard Markus Howard to two-way contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Markus Howard to a two-way contract.

Howard, 5-11, 180, appeared in 37 games (one start) for Denver during the 2020-21 season, averaging 2.8 points in 5.5 minutes per game. He also appeared in nine games for the Nuggets in the playoffs, posting 4.7 points on 42.3% shooting from three-point range in 12.4 minutes per game.

Howard went undrafted in the 2020 NBA draft after a prolific four-year career at Marquette University. In 29 games (all starts) as a senior in 2019-20, Howard led the nation in scoring, averaging 27.8 points per game, adding 3.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists, shooting 44.4% from the field and 41.2% from three in 33.2 minutes. He was unanimously named to the 2019-20 All-America First Team.

The Morristown, New Jersey, native set the Big East all-time scoring record with 1,587 points over his four-year career and ranks 21st on the NCAA’s all-time scoring list with 2,761 points. Howard also broke school records in scoring, free throws made (599) and three-pointers made (434). He scored 51 points vs. USC on November 29th, 2019 becoming the third major-conference player to record a 50-point game in three consecutive seasons, joining Wayman Tisdale and Pete Maravich.

Denver Nuggets sign Jeff Green

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Jeff Green to a multiyear contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

“We are very excited to welcome Jeff and his family to Denver,” said Connelly. “He brings a wealth of experience to our team; his impact will be felt both on the court and in the locker room.”

Green’s Nuggets contract is reportedly a two-year, $10 million deal.

Green, 6-8, 235, appeared in 68 games (38 stars) for the Brooklyn Nets last season, averaging 11.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 27.0 minutes while shooting 49.2% from the field and a career-high 41.2% from three. Green scored in double figures in 42 games and had 16 games making three or more three-point field goals. He also played in six playoff games (one start), averaging 8.2 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists, shooting 55.6% from three in 24.7 minutes.

The 14-year NBA veteran has appeared in 967 career games (583 starts) for Oklahoma City, Boston, Memphis, Cleveland, Washington, Orlando, Utah, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston and Brooklyn. He holds career averages of 12.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists, shooting 44.4% from the field and 34.0% from three-point range.

The 34-year-old native of Cheverly, Maryland was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the fifth overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft after spending three seasons at Georgetown University. Following his rookie season, Green was selected to the 2007-08 NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Denver Nuggets re-sign Will Barton

The Denver Nuggets have re-signed free agent guard Will Barton III to a multi-year deal, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Per the Denver Post, Barton’s contract is a two-year, $32 million deal.

Barton III, 30, has spent the previous seven seasons in Denver and has been an integral part to the Nuggets ascension up the Western Conference standings, helping the team appear in three straight playoffs.

Last season, Barton III appeared in 56 games (52 starts), averaging 12.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 42.6% from the field and a career-high 38.1% from three-point range. He scored 20 or more points on nine occasions and made five or more threes in six games.

The Baltimore, Maryland native was acquired by Denver in a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 19, 2015 and since then, has appeared in 408 games in a Nuggets uniform, the second most games of any Nuggets player since the 2014-15 season. He currently sits third all-time in team NBA franchise history with 647 career three point makes.

Barton III has appeared in 408 games (208 starts) over seven seasons with Denver, averaging 13.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 30.1 minutes per game. Barton III was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers out of Memphis with the 40th overall selection in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Denver Nuggets sign rookie Bones Hyland

The Denver Nuggets a few days ago signed rookie guard Bones Hyland to a multi-year contract, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced. Hyland was selected by Denver with the 26th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.

Hyland, 6-3, 173, played two seasons and appeared in 55 games (33 starts) for Virginia Commonwealth University, averaging 13.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.29 steals in 25.5 minutes. This most recent season he was named the 2020-21 A-10 Player of the Year, leading the conference in scoring (19.5 ppg) and three-pointers made per game (2.9), becoming the first sophomore in VCU history to make himself eligible for the NBA draft. Hyland set a freshman record at VCU with 63 made threes and was a 2019-20 A-10 All-Freshman team selection.