The Nuggets traded fan favorite Earl Boykins along with Julius Hodge to the Milwaukee Bucks for guard Steve Blake today.
Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien made the announcement this afternoon at a news conference at the Pepsi Center after the team’s practice.
Boykins was en route this morning to a funeral in West Virginia.
A major reason the Nuggets made the move was to get under the NBA’s $65.4 million luxury tax threshold by season’s end. The trade pushes Denver about $500,000 under the tax threshold, saving them from being slapped with a dollar – for- dollar tax for being over. The Nuggets also get an injured player’s exception in the trade. Bobby Simmons is out for the year with a heel injury.
Blake, who will be a backup point guard behind Allen Iverson, is in the final year of his contract and makes $1.33 million.
Boykins has played well over the past three weeks when guard J. R. Smith sat out 10 games due to a suspension. But with Smith back and Carmelo Anthony due to return Jan. 22, Boykins’ playing time was expected to be dramatically reduced.
“Earl’s performance during our ‘suspension season’ has been sensational,” Warkentien said. “He’s done a heck of a job.”
The Nuggets had been shopping Boykins because he was expected to exercise a player’s option that will make him a free agent next off-season. Cleveland was among the suitors. But due to recent injuries to Mo Williams and Michael Redd, the Bucks were in desperate need of some guard help.
Next to Carmelo Anthony and the newcomer Iverson, Boykins was probably the most popular Nugget. His No. 11 jersey was a hot seller in Denver. The 5-foot-5, 133-pounder, the NBA’s shortest player, is averaging a career-high 15.2 points and 4.3 assists while shooting 37.3 percent from 3-point range.
Blake is averaging 3.6 points and 2.5 assists in 17.7 minutes per game while shooting a career-low 27.9 percent from 3-point range. The 6-foot-3, 172-pounder is averaging 6 points and 3 assists and a .377 percentage from 3-point range in a three-plus season NBA career that has also included stops in Washington and Portland.
Staff writer Marc J. Spears can be reached at 303-954-1098 or mspears@denverpost.com.
