By Luke Wiggs

 

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. — The Washington Wizards acquired Monte Morris and Will Barton from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Ish Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The trade was first reported by Shams Charania of the athletic.

 

 

Barton, 32, has averaged double-digit scoring 8 consecutive seasons, averaging 14.7 points per game for Denver last year shooting 37% from 3.

 

Morris, 27, is a 5-year NBA veteran with 105 career starts for the Nuggets. The Iowa State product averaged 12.6 points per game last year to go along with 4.4 assists.

 

The two guards bring a combined 25 million in salary to a Washington backcourt featuring Bradley Beal and recently drafted shooting guard Johnny Davis.

 

Denver saves roughly 7 million by acquiring the 14 million dollar contract of Caldwell-Pope and the 4 million dollar contract of Smith.

 

Caldwell-Pope averaged over 13 points per game in his first season in Washington coming over in the Russell Westbrook trade. The 29-year-old shot 39% from 3 last season and boasts one of the lowest turnover rates in NBA history.

 

Smith averaged 6.3 points per game in 65 games last year between both the Wizards and Hornets. If he were to play a single game for Denver he would set the record for most franchises played for in NBA history, ESPN’s Matt Williams reports.

 

 

Wizard’s general manager Tommy Sheppard has expressed extensively this off-season his interest in bolstering his roster.

 

“We need more dogs.” Sheppard said in a pre-draft interview at Capital One Arena. “You hear that a lot, our players love to say that.”

Author: wvrcdigital