Point guard Aaron Brooks has been trade to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for 2011 first round pick Jordan Hamilton.
Brooks has a no-trade-clause but is expected to waive it so as to receive more playing time with Denver heading into free agency this summer.
Hamilton is a scoring-wing out if Texas that has not shot the ball as well this year on a struggling Nuggets team. This season he’s averaged 6.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg and shot 34% from deep. He will also be a free agent this offseason.
According to Joe Kaiser of ESPN Insider:
Barnes and Hamilton are built similarly, and though Barnes is more highly regarded in most circles, it’s Hamilton that has routinely graded out higher in terms of player efficiency rating. The third-year pro out of Texas ended last season with a 16.98 PER and is currently at 13.61, whereas Barnes went from 11.08 as a rookie to 10.52 this season.
The issue with Hamilton during his years in Denver has always been a lack of playing time; after playing right around 10 minutes a game during his first two years, he’s up around 17 MPG this season. Look for him to be counted on for 15-20 minutes a night on his new team, taking some of the bench minutes that had previously gone to Omri Casspi and Francisco Garcia.
Some stats from our friends at the Dream Shake
Jordan Hamilton excels in catch and shoot situations. He has an eFG% of 56.7. That’s in the top fifth of the league.
— The Dream Shake (@DreamShakeSBN) February 20, 2014
Jordan Hamilton struggles pulling up (39.2 eFG%) and finishing within the restricted area (49%). Both below league average.
— The Dream Shake (@DreamShakeSBN) February 20, 2014
Jordan Hamilton pulls in 56% of his rebound opportunities (6 a game). That’s comparable to Luol Deng and Wilson Chandler.
— The Dream Shake (@DreamShakeSBN) February 20, 2014
And here is a highlight of a recent game in which Hamilton posted 16 points and 7 assists (with some JJ Hickson highlights mixed in)