Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Denver Nuggets have acquired center JaVale McGee from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for center Isaiah Hartenstein and two second-round picks.
Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor clarifies that the draft compensation the Cavs will receive are a (top-46) protected 2023 second-round pick and an unprotected 2027 second-round pick.
For the Nuggets, McGee provides Denver with an athletic rim-protector that they desperately needs due to their woes defending along the perimeter. A three-time NBA champion with 58 playoff games under his belt, McGee will can supplant the void left by center Mason Plumlee last offseason.
The 33-year-old also has previous experience playing with the franchise (though not it’s current roster) after playing for the Nuggets from 2011-12 to 2014-15.
Hartenstein, raw and skilled at 22-years-old, is in his 3rd NBA season.
With the Nuggets, his developmental curve was stunted by playing behind All-NBA center Nikola Jokic and on a contending team where he would be afforded little time to correct mistakes. Now in Cleveland, currently 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings at 17-27, he’ll get a chance to audition for a future with the Cavs.
