DENVER — The Denver Nuggets are going to run it back.
As NBA free agency began with a flurry on Monday afternoon, the team reportedly re-signed unrestricted free agents Will Barton and JaMychal Green to two-year contracts. Barton's deal is worth $32M and Green's is worth $17M.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports first reported the Barton signing, while Shams Charania of The Athletic was first on the Green news.
Barton declined a player option last month that would have paid him $14.7M to return to the Nuggets on a one-year deal, instead betting on himself and ultimately landing a higher salary the next two seasons. Barton played in 56 games for the Nuggets this past season (2020-21), starting all but four of them. He averaged 12.7 points, 4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He turned 30 this January.
Green's deal will include a player option for next season (2022-23), according to Charania. In his first season with the Nuggets last year Green averaged 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds.
Denver will continue to build its roster around reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic and point guard Jamal Murray, although Murray will miss most of the 2021-22 regular season after tearing his ACL in April.
The Nuggets won their first round playoff series this past summer against the Trail Blazers, but were swept by eventual NBA runner-up Phoenix in the second round.
UPDATE 5:50 p.m.
The Nuggets have reportedly added their first free agent from outside the team, signing forward / center Jeff Green from the Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN's Malika Andrews.
The deal for him will be for two years and $10M, with the second year being a player option.
Green, 34, has been in the NBA since 2007 and has career averages of 12.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. The Nuggets will be his 11th NBA team.
UPDATE 8:45 p.m.
Chris Haynes from Yahoo Sports has broken another Nuggets signing, indicating Austin Rivers will return to Denver after inking a one-year deal.
Rivers, who the Nuggets signed to a 10-day contract in April, eventually finished the season with Denver and earned big minutes in the playoffs.
In 15 regular-season games, Rivers averaged 8.7 points and 2.6 assists.
>> Video above: Nuggets first-round draft pick "Bones" Hyland excited to be in Denver
