On a day when the Nuggets swung for the fences at Paul George, they ended up with another former Pacer instead.
Per Adrian Wojnarowski, the Milwaukee Bucks have finalized a deal to send journeyman center Roy Hibbert to Denver in exchange for a 2019 second-round pick.
The second round pick is top-55 protected, which means that it’s basically free money for Denver as it likely won’t come to fruition. Hibbert will take the Nuggets’ open roster spot as Johnny O’Bryant was not re-signed following the expiration of his second 10-day contract.
With Nikola Jokic and Mason Plumlee already at center, it’s likely this move was made as a salary dump for Milwaukee and a chance for Denver to come closer to reaching the cap floor. However, Christopher Dempsey did report that Hibbert will remain with the team for the remainder of his contract before becoming a free agent this summer.
Hibbert has struggled in recent years after anchoring an Indiana team that was a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. After signing with the Charlotte Hornets in the offseason, he was traded to Milwaukee a few weeks ago and will now be on his third team this year. He is averaging 5.2 points and 3.6 rebounds on the season, though he never suited up for the Bucks. If nothing else, he will provide good insurance for the Denver frontcourt heading into the last 26 games of the Nuggets’ playoff push.
