Chandler goes to Sixers, getting Denver closer to $123M luxury tax
The Nuggets have agreed to trade starting small forward Wilson Chandler and a 2021 secondround draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for cash considerations, a league source confirmed to the Denver Post on Tuesday.
The move unloads Chandler’s salary, after he exercised his $12.8 million player option for 2018-19 in late June. Chandler is coming off a season in which he posted his lowest scoring average (10.0 points per game) since 2011-12 and averaged 5.4 rebounds. Though Chandler’s offensive numbers sputtered, he provided solid defense on the wing and the flexibility to play both forward spots.
The trade also includes the rights for Philadelphia and Denver to swap second-round picks in 2022.
Denver needed to take money off the books in an effort to move closer to the $123 million luxury tax line. Before the trade, the Nuggets’ projected 2018-19 payroll hovered around $150 million before penalties, which means they may not be finished dealing.
Why was Denver in such a financial pinch? Star big man Nikola Jokic is set to sign the largest contract in franchise history (five years, $148 million) on July 6, and swingman Will Barton agreed to a new four-year, $53 million deal Saturday. Gary Harris’ lucrative
extension also kicks in this season and will pay him $16.5 million in 2018-19. Paul Millsap ($29.2 million), Kenneth Faried ($13.8 million) and Mason Plumlee ($12.9 million) are also due big salaries this season, while Darrell Arthur exercised his $7.5 million player options in mid-June.
Trading Chandler opens up the starting small forward spot for Barton, who is coming off a career-best season in which he averaged 15.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while playing a variety of roles.
The move also clears a Nuggets roster spot, which was essentially filled immediately when firstround draft pick Michael Porter Jr. signed his rookie contract Tuesday. Torrey Craig and Monte Morris, who were on two-way deals last season, are contenders to fill full roster spots in 2018-19. Craig is classified as a restricted free agent after receiving a qualifying offer from Denver, while Morris is entering his second season on a two-way deal but could be upgraded to a full contract.
Denver finished 46-36 last season and missed the playoffs by one game.