The already deep Denver Nuggets just got a bit deeper. Wilson Chandler has agreed to a five-year deal worth close to $37 million, according to the AP. Chandler, who played with the Nuggets last season but played in China for most of this season as he signed with Zhejiang Guangsha during the lockout. He averaged nearly 27 points and 12 rebounds in 32 games there.
As soon as the NBA season resumed, Chandler was ineligible to return immediately because the Chinese Basketball Association had a clause preventing players that signed there to add opt-out clauses.
Chandler, 24, was part of Denver's playoff team last season after joining them in the Carmelo Anthony trade. He helped them go 18-7 to finish the season adding a versatile wing defender and solid isolation scorer. The Nuggets, who are in the back of the Western playoff race, are certainly going to be getting a big boost in adding Chandler. He gives the Nuggets a lot more depth on the wing, can score and has some solid defensive chops.
Chandler was set to be a restricted free agent before the season, but seemed to make it pretty clear he wanted to re-sign with Denver. And at a little more than $7 million a year, that's a pretty fair asking price for a guy like him. The Nuggets want to keep as much of their core together as possible, despite dealing Nene at the deadline for JaVale McGee. Their payroll is pretty evenly distributed and with Danilo Gallinari, Ty Lawson, emerging rookie Kenneth Faried and Chandler, the Nuggets have a solid group to build on.
