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Nuggets' Updated Roster, Depth Chart After Austin Rivers Contract
April 20, 2021
The Denver Nuggets announced the signing of guard Austin Rivers to a 10-day contract Tuesday.
A deal had been expected since last week, with the Nuggets looking to fortify their guard rotation after Jamal Murray suffered a season-ending ACL tear.
Rivers has been a free agent since being waived by the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 28. He was acquired by Oklahoma City as part of a three-team trade at the deadline that sent George Hill to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Here is a look at how the Nuggets' updated roster will look.
C: Nikola Jokic / JaVale McGee / Bol Bol
PF: Aaron Gordon / Paul Millsap / JaMychal Green / Zeke Nnaji
SF: Michael Porter Jr. / PJ Dozier / Vlatko Cancar
SG: Will Barton / Austin Rivers
PG: Monte Morris* / Facundo Campazzo / Markus Howard
(*out with injury)
Rivers will likely be thrust immediately into the Nuggets rotation with Murray and Monte Morris out of the lineup. The Duke product averaged 7.3 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 21 games with the New York Knicks before being shipped to Oklahoma City.
A veteran playing for his sixth NBA franchise, Rivers brings playoff experience and secondary ball-handling acumen that should help the Nuggets—at least temporarily.
Denver has managed to win its first three games without Murray and has no plans of giving up on its goal of winning a championship in 2021. It's not out of the realm of possibilities that Rivers winds up giving them a boost in the postseason.