Nuggets acquire J.R. Smith from Bulls

07.20.2006

Denver, CO (Basketball News) - The Denver Nuggets made a move to get younger in their backcourt by acquiring J.R. Smith from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Howard Eisley and a pair of second-round selections for the 2007 draft.

The 20-year-old Smith was acquired by the Bulls on July 14 from the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. He averaged 7.7 points and two rebounds per game last season with the Hornets, his second year in the NBA after being chosen as the 18th overall pick of the 2004 NBA Draft out of St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, New Jersey.

"J.R. is an athletic young talent who can really shoot the basketball," Nuggets director of player personnel Mark Warkentien said. "He still hasn’t seen his 21st birthday and his potential excites us."

Eisley averaged 3.2 points per game last season, splitting time between the Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers. He appeared in 19 games for the Nuggets, averaging 4.8 ppg.

The move comes on the same day the Nuggets re-signed forward/center Nene to a multi-year contract.

CHI DEN

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