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Nuggets to trade Will Barton, Monte Morris to Washington Wizards

DENVER – Calvin Booth took his biggest shot since taking over leadership of the Nuggets front office on Wednesday.

The Nuggets agreed to trade Will Barton III and Monte Morris to Washington in exchange for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith, according to multiple reports.

Caldwell-Pope is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who averaged 13.2 points per game for the Wizards last season, shooting 39% from 3-point range. He helped the Lakers win the 2020 NBA championship and was selected eighth overall by Detroit in the 2013 draft. The 29-year-old is a likely replacement for Barton’s spot in Denver’s starting five.

Barton moves on to his third NBA team after spending seven-plus seasons with the Nuggets. He posted 14.7 points per game last season and hit 36.5% of his 3-point attempts. Morris also heads to Washington after a long and productive stint in Denver. Starting in place of the injured Jamal Murray last season, Morris scored 12.6 points and dished out 4.4 assists per game last season, his fifth with the Nuggets. The trade likely creates more room for Bones Hyland to develop after his strong rookie season.

Smith, an NBA journeyman, provides some insurance at point guard with Morris departing. He entered the league in 2010 and has played for a dozen franchises. He averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 assists in 28 games with the Wizards last season.

Both Caldwell-Pope and Smith have one year remaining on their respective contracts. Caldwell-Pope is set to make just over $14 million next season, while Smith is set to be paid $4.7 million next season. The trade also sheds some salary for Denver. Barton’s set to make $14.4 million next season in the final year of his current contract, while Morris will make more than $9 million in each of the next two seasons.

Barton and Morris will reunite with Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. who was a Nuggets assistant before Washington hired him last season.

Earlier this offseason, Booth send JaMychal Green and a 2027 first-round pick to Oklahoma City for the No. 30 pick, which the Nuggets selected Peyton Watson with, and a pair of future second-round picks. Booth’s busy offseason continues Thursday with the start of free agency.

(Contact Gazette sports columnist Paul Klee at paul.klee@gazette.com or on Twitter at @bypaulklee.)

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