Nuggets, Thunder Agree to Trade Before NBA Draft, per Report

With just over a week to go until the 2022 draft, Denver and Oklahoma City struck a deal involving four future picks.

The Nuggets have reportedly agreed to trade forward JaMychal Green and a protected 2027 first-round pick to the Thunder in exchange for the No. 30 pick in next week’s 2022 NBA draft, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Denver will also reportedly acquire two future second-round picks, one in 2023 and one in 2024, in the deal.

Green, 31, is expected exercise the player option on his contract, which is due to pay him $8.2 million during the 2022–23 season. Oklahoma City has $31.6 million in salary-cap space available to absorb the deal.

Green is expected to exercise his $8.2M contract for 2022-2023. Deal gives Nuggets flexibility to use a $6.4M tax mid-level exception or an $8.2M trade exception in offseason. Nuggets expect to be a tax-paying team. Thunder have $31M in cap space to absorb Green salary.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 13, 2022

The Nuggets will create salary cap flexibility with the trade, saving approximately $20 million in salary and luxury tax by dealing Green, according to Wojnarowski. Though Denver still projects to be a luxury tax team next year, the deal will allow the franchise and new general manager Calvin Booth to use a $6.4 million taxpayer midlevel exception, or an $8.2 million trade exception.

An undrafted free agent out of Alabama in 2012, Green spent the last two seasons with the Nuggets. He played in 67 games for Denver this past year, averaging 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in just over 16 minutes per contest.

After the move becomes official, the Thunder will still be in possession of the Nos. 2, No. 12 and No. 34 picks in this year’s draft. Denver holds Nos. 21 and 30. 

The 2022 NBA draft will be held at Barclays Center on June 23.

• Inside The Thunder: Draft Trade: Thunder Flip Pick No. 30 to Nuggets for JaMychal Green Package 

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