OCTOBER 19: Jefferson’s deal with the Nuggets is now official, per RealGM’s log of NBA transactions. Denver waived Nelson on Wednesday to open up a roster spot for the veteran forward.
OCTOBER 16: Veteran forward Richard Jefferson has agreed to a one-year, $2.3MM contract with the Nuggets, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Jefferson cleared waivers on Monday. He was traded by the Cavaliers to the Hawks on Saturday in a cost-cutting and roster-trimming move by Cleveland. Atlanta immediately waived him.
Denver will likely waive veteran point guard Jameer Nelson to make room for Jefferson, according to Wojnarowski.
Jefferson fortifies the small forward spot behind Wilson Chandler. His primary backup, Will Barton, suffered an ankle injury in practice on Monday.
It’s somewhat surprising that Denver would let Nelson go, as he was considered a potential starter during camp. The Nuggets have apparently decided to go with the much younger duo of Emmanuel Mudiay and Jamal Murray at point guard.
The Bucks were considered contenders for Jefferson’s services but wound up claiming another ex-Cavalier, DeAndre Liggins, on Monday. Jefferson, 37, averaged 5.7 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 79 regular-season contests last year.
Contractually, Jefferson will collect two paybacks. He’ll also receive $2MM from the Hawks, who will get a $500K set-off at the end of the season, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.
Knicks should claim Nelson off waivers and waive Jack. Nelson and Sessions and good mentors for Ntilikina and Jameer is a better stop gap at starting pg than Sessions. But then again, better might be worse for the Knicks
In NY “tanking” seems to be getting called “a proper rebuild” but it means the same thing and could also be called “fan fantasy confusion”. Does one dream of winning or losing? It’s a different frustration than the regular-type disappointment frustration.
It was so hard as a Cavs fan in the years before Bron arrivals.
It all seems so beneath the presumed New Yorker self-regard. Not sure NYers know what they’re getting into with their Proper Rebuild. TPR is the new “the process”.
Agree !! Someone is going to scoop up Nelson quick.
Losing Jameer probably isn’t smart when you already have questions with your guards…
I could see OKC, Milwaukee, New Orleans, etc being interested
Guaranteed or non-guaranteed?
Haven’t seen it reported, but I’d be surprised if it’s not guaranteed.
Nelson should be at Madison Square Garden already! Sign him up
Cleveland could have traded RJ directly to Denver instead of Atlanta, and sent those second-rounders there along with Kay Felder and cash equal to their salaries.
RJ gained, since he gets 2.5 from his original contract plus 2.3 from Denver. If he was traded, he could not bargain for the extra 2.3.
Nice parting gift from Altman. Unless Denver disguised their interest, but IDK why they would.
Only problem with that is that Atlanta had the cap room to absorb Jefferson and Felder without sending out any money to match salaries — Denver is over the cap with no trade exceptions, and the Cavs didn’t want to take any salary back.
Okay right.
It would have been nice to get a Nugget back actually, almost any of them, and I’ m sure that was brought up, but Denver would have had to have wanted another Cav contract.