Nuggets Acquire JaVale McGee from Cavs for Isaiah Hartenstein, Draft Picks

Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Denver Nuggets have acquired center JaVale McGee from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for center Isaiah Hartenstein and two second-round picks.

Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor clarifies that the draft compensation the Cavs will receive are a (top-46) protected 2023 second-round pick and an unprotected 2027 second-round pick.

For the Nuggets, McGee provides Denver with an athletic rim-protector that they desperately needs due to their woes defending along the perimeter. A three-time NBA champion with 58 playoff games under his belt, McGee will can supplant the void left by center Mason Plumlee last offseason.

The 33-year-old also has previous experience playing with the franchise (though not it’s current roster) after playing for the Nuggets from 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Hartenstein, raw and skilled at 22-years-old, is in his 3rd NBA season.

With the Nuggets, his developmental curve was stunted by playing behind All-NBA center Nikola Jokic and on a contending team where he would be afforded little time to correct mistakes. Now in Cleveland, currently 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings at 17-27, he’ll get a chance to audition for a future with the Cavs.