Denver Nuggets: Grading Calvin Booth’s first trade

Calvin Booth has made his first move as the lead decision-maker for the Denver Nuggets, moving on from JaMychal Green in a salary dump with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Nuggets are sending Green alongside a protected 2027 first-round pick to OKC for number 30 in the 2022 NBA Draft and two future second-round picks per Adrian Wojnarowski, ESPN.

The move is the first for the new president of basketball operations, Calvin Booth, who was elevated following Tim Connelly’s departure. It’s the first move in what could be a very busy offseason for Denver as Booth has said he’d like to be aggressive.

JaMychal Green was almost guaranteed to opt into his $8.2 million player option for next season since his production dipped this past season and he saw a lot of his backup big man minutes go to DeMarcus Cousins.

It’s unlikely that he was seen as equal value on his current contract so Booth had to attach an asset (2027 first-round pick) to move on from the forward. By trading him into OKC’s cap space, Denver’s able to open up an $8.2 million trade exception which, while it can’t be bundled with another player in a deal, it can be used to absorb a contract they may not be able to after this offseason.

From the Thunder’s point of view, they simply don’t have enough roster spots to go around if they keep drafting several players in the first round. By taking on JaMychal Green’s money, OKC is able to roll the 30th pick into something potentially higher in 2027. We don’t know the protections on that pick yet but there’s a very high chance it’ll be better than 30.

OKC can either waive Green’s $8.2 million for next season or hold onto him, try and recuperate his value and trade him again by the 2023 trade deadline.

Denver Nuggets: Grading Calvin Booth’s first trade: C+

I’ve given this trade a C+, just a hair higher than a passing grade. There’s no way this is the last move we’ll see Booth make this offseason and he has found a way to nab another first-round pick for a player not worth a first.

However, he did have to part ways with a pick far in the future, who knows if he’ll be the one making the decisions when the 2027 NBA Draft is on.

With Denver’s title aspirations next season, there’s little merit in drafting two rookies in the 2022 NBA Draft so we’re probably going to see one or both on the move as Booth looks to upgrade the roster. Alongside Denver’s own draft pick, 21st, they can now trade two picks in this year’s draft for a new player.

If there’s a deal out there where a team wants two first-round picks, Calvin could’ve just included that 2027 protected first he sent out to OKC. Instead, the receiving team gets two picks in this draft.

I’ll re-visit this grade at the end of the offseason. If the Denver Nuggets are able to turn the 30th pick and something else into a serious player, then this trade looks better. Additionally, if they can fit a role player in the trade exception created, it looks amazing.

On the other side of the coin, if this is simply a luxury tax-dodging move, setting it up so that the Nuggets can slip under the tax line again, it’s a terrifying sign.

And on a final note, with JaMychal Green leaving Denver, we should look back on one of his funniest moments in a Nuggets uniform: Scott Hastings stopping him mid-shoot-around to see if he’s available to play.