JANUARY 10: The Nuggets have officially acquired McGruder and the Nets’ 2022 second-round pick in exchange for Bol, the team announced today in a press release. Denver also confirmed Reed’s two-way deal and Cornelie’s release in a separate announcement on Sunday.
JANUARY 9: The Pistons will be sending veteran shooting guard Rodney McGruder and a future second-round draft selection to the Nuggets in exchange for intriguing young power forward Bol Bol, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The pick going to Denver in the deal will be a 2022 second-rounder that Detroit originally acquired from the Nets, per Woj and James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link).
There is more personnel news out of Denver. The Nuggets will upgrade the contract of guard Davon Reed, currently signed to his third 10-day hardship exception contract, to a two-way deal, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post. To make a two-way slot available for Reed, Denver will release current two-way player Petr Cornelie.
In 12 games with Denver, including two starts, Reed is averaging 4.4 PPG on a .457/.350/.800 shooting line, along with 3.0 RPG, 1.3 APG and 1.2 SPG.
Singer notes that Bol struggled to find a consistent position while with the Nuggets and thus toggled between spot minutes at small and power forward. Head coach Michael Malone and his coaching staff also apparently projected more upside out of big men Vlatko Cancar and Zeke Nnaji, who had moved ahead of Bol in the team’s rotation prior to Cancar’s recent foot fracture. Singer adds that the Nuggets plan to retain McGruder for the time being.
Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press opines that the addition of Bol will help a depleted Detroit squad up front, which Sankofa identifies as one of the 8-30 club’s key weaknesses. Woj writes in his piece that the addition of the 7’2″ forward will be an opportunity for the rebuilding Pistons to take a flyer on a young player with upside.
This season, Bol is averaging 2.4 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 5.8 MPG. Last season across eight games with the Windy City Bulls, the 22-year-old averaged 12.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 2.3 BPG. He recently had his best offensive game at the NBA level, scoring 11 points against the Rockets in 20 minutes on January 1.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks notes (Twitter link) that, by sending the expiring $2.15MM deal of Bol out in exchange for the $1.7MM expiring deal of McGruder, the Nuggets will carve out additional space below the NBA’s luxury tax. Denver is now $2.4MM under the tax line.
The 6’4″ McGruder has not made much of an impact during his time in Detroit. The 30-year-old re-signed with the Pistons on a veteran’s minimum deal this summer after spending the 2020/21 season in Detroit. This season, he is averaging just 2.5 PPG and 1.6 RPG in 9.5 MPG, across 17 of the club’s 38 contests.
AM Hoops says it was a no brainer for Detroit
They are giving up a 2nd rounder with no guarantee Bol succeeds or extends.
A very late second rounder. Bol is very skilled. If he gets his head right, he will be worth the price.
Let’s Go Bol !!!!
Bad Denver trade
Dont agree. Bol wasnt going to sign an extension in offseason and he doesnt play any minutes right now.
Denver creates space under the luxury tax limit, which they can be useful in another deal the next few weeks.
And they get a 2nd round pick…
All true Wannes but looking t it thru a larger scope it just shows how the Gordon/Porter $$$ is going to adversely effect Denver moving forward
They were always the team that found and kept the little jewels like Bol Bol thru RFA time on value contracts
Different era in Denver, they are pretty much pot committed with not much help on the way for the considerable future. I hope Jokic stays but the ledger and roster when that time comes might work against the decision rather than for it like it looked like not so long ago
Mc Gruder sucks but a good cap move indeed and a pick. Denver will probably find a wing on the buyout market
Bol Bol will suck suck
Nice dude
Spock approved. Very logical.
They could have just picked up Tacko Fall if they want to roll the dice on long armed potential.
But tacko fall doesn’t have potential into todays nba. Bol bol does.
Tacko Fall sucks
So does Bol Bol. If his name was John Smith he would not get much attention.
You’ve never watched his skills
That’s a good move. They need size and he still got upside. I’d make him gain 20-30 LBs. I like Stewart as an old school 4. He and Bol can play together to go big. Pistons with a top 3 pick next yr. Will add another great talent. Pistons need size and there is talented bigs in this draft.
He isn’t going to add that weight.
You know who his dad is right? The genes aren’t there for bulking up.
Bol Bol’s ceiling is as an offensive big off the bench – kind of how Mo Speights was for GS but way more athletic.
Right, Ppl seem to confuse weight with strength. As he gets older he will fill in. I remember(in the bubble) Mo bamba added a lot of weight and he looked awful. Bol & bamba have similar body types.
Savage deal by Weaver and Pistons.
He is worth the look. Yea he’s skinny. But, the dude can handle the ball, shoot, pass, and can block/alter shots pretty well.
He’s got to prove he can handle real minutes and the game to game contact though.
All they give up is the traveling McGruder and a Nets 2nd rounder? Yes every day.
I’m sure Denver could have gotten better. Thunder? Rockets? Knicks? Hornets? T-wolves? Kings? Anyone of them should’ve gone for Bol Bol.
The Pistons desperately needed a big man so it makes total sense to take a chance on Bol for what will likely be a bottom 5 pick (56-60 overall) in the second round.
Finally getting McGruder off the Ptstons roster is a huge plus for the team as well.
Denver with all their injuries was dying for someone to step up. Bol Bol could not do it. Reminds me of Thon Maker who was the perennial prospect but quickly became a suspect. Thon also went to Det. Not a good omen for Bol Bol as Casey has no idea how to develop young players.
Maker was better, but good comparison on the perennial prospect angle.
Maker had a motor but Bol is much, much better skill-wise… He could learn a thing or two from Maker about energy, hustle, challenging everything near the rim and running the floor.
We’re blessed to witness the high level desire and competitive spirit of so many NBA sons – Curry, Payton, Trent, Anthony for example, but there are always going to be players that come through that expect it to be handed to them on a plate – unfortunately I think Bol is the latter. His attitude just hasn’t been good, at least according to the eye-test – not joining in huddles, laughing and joking when losing etc.
He’s so young he can turn it around and I hope he does.
Thon Maker could not hold Bol’s jock regarding skills.
Bro is down bad
Don’t like this as it’s going to take time from Luka Garza
Bol Bol in my opinion is the next Nikola Jokavich
Good luck Bol