NUGGETS’ NEW GM NETS PICKS
The Denver Nuggets are trading forward JaMychal Green and a protected 2027 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 30th pick in this month’s NBA draft, and two future secondround picks, sources told ESPN on Monday.
The Thunder still have the Nos. 2, 12 and 34 picks in this year’s draft, and the Nuggets now have Nos. 21 and 30.
Green is expected to opt into his $8.2 million salary for the 2022-23 season this month, which will ultimately finalize the deal, sources told ESPN.
It will be new General Manager Calvin Booth’s first deal since taking over the Nuggets’ basketball operations with the departure of President Tim Connelly to Minnesota. According to the Denver Post, the Nuggets create some salary cap flexibility with the deal, saving them $20 million in salary and luxury tax with the trade. Denver still expects to be a luxury tax paying team for next year, and now gives themselves flexibility to use a $6.4 million taxpayer midlevel exception, or an $8.2 million trade exception created with the deal.
The Thunder have $31.6 million in salary cap space to absorb Green’s contract. Green, 31, averaged 6.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 16 minutes for the Nuggets this past season. The 2022-23 season will be Green’s 10th in the NBA.
Harrell arrested
Charlotte Hornets forward Montrezl Harrell is facing a felony drug charge after authorities said they found vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana in his car during a traffic stop. According to court records, the 28-year-old Harrell was pulled over in Richmond,
Ky., by a state trooper May 12 for driving behind a vehicle too closely. The trooper said he smelled marijuana and, after a search, discovered 3 pounds of marijuana in vacuum-sealed bags inside a backpack in the back seat.
Game 5 notes
With their first 3-pointer in Game 5, the Celtics set an NBA record. It was their 307th of the playoffs, the most by a team in a single postseason. Jayson Tatum hit No. 307 but not until late in the second quarter. They began the night sharing that record of 306 with the 2016 Warriors.
This season’s Warriors were up to 280 3s in these playoffs, entering Game 5. That’s already the fifth most in a postseason, behind this year’s Celtics, the 2019 Toronto Raptors (286) and this year’s Dallas Mavericks (284).
• Depending on whether this series goes six or seven games, Boston will play either 106 or 107 games this season. It’ll be close to a record.
The 2007-08 Celtics played 108 games, which is the most by any team in an NBA season. The 2004-05 Detroit Pistons and 1994-95 New York Knicks played 107, tied for second most.
Notable
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver canceled plans to attend Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics because of the league’s health and safety protocols. Silver typically attends all finals games.
• The Memphis Grizzlies are keeping coach Taylor Jenkins around after he led them to their highest playoff seed in franchise history. The Grizzlies announced they signed Jenkins to a multiyear contract extension. Terms weren’t disclosed.
• Cavaliers assistant Greg Buckner has been promoted to associate head coach under