Thomas Bryant (left) will serve as a key backup for Nikola Jokic in Denver.
The Los Angeles Lakers continued their roster remodel on trade deadline day by sending Thomas Bryant to the Denver Nuggets in a four-team deal with the LA Clippers and Orlando Magic. Denver sends guard Davon Reed and a second-round pick to the Lakers and guard Bones Hyland to the Clippers as part of the deal.
Nuggets receive:
Lakers receive:
- Davon Reed
- Future second-round pick
We have acquired center Thomas Bryant in a four-team deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, and Orlando Magic pic.twitter.com/aXZFTdBvpS
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 9, 2023
Bryant will wear #13 for the Nuggets.
The arrival of Bryant gives the Nuggets another big man to back up two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. Bryant averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds for the Lakers this season, while shooting 65.4% from the floor.
The 25-year-old Bryant was taken in the second round by Utah in 2017, but was quickly sent to Lakers as part of a trade.
Reed has played sparingly for the Nuggets this season. The 27-year-old shooting guard is averaging 2.3 points.
With Jokic averaging a triple-double this season, the Nuggets have risen to the top of the West. But the conference got a whole lot more difficult with Kyrie Irving’s arrival in Dallas and the Phoenix Suns trading for Kevin Durant.
Jokic has plenty of help this season, though, with the return of max players Jamal Murray (he missed all of last season as he recovered from a torn ACL) and Michael Porter Jr. (sidelined last year by a balky back). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been a big addition, along with Bruce Brown. Aaron Gordon is posting big numbers, too.
The Nuggets turned in their highest-scoring game of the season Tuesday when they beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 146-112. It was their most points scored since Nov. 17, 2017. Jokic led the way by posting his league-leading 19th triple-double of the season by halftime.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
