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Report: Nuggets deal Jordan Hamilton for Aaron Brooks, not Udrih

According to a report from Yahoo Sports, the Denver Nuggets have traded forward Jordan Hamilton to the Houston Rockets for point guard Aaron Brooks.

This is fairly surprising considering that reports just an hour earlier were indicating that Hamilton could be dealt to the New York Knicks for Beno Udrih.

In Brooks, the Nuggets get a back-up point guard behind Ty Lawson and are freed from using Randy Foye and Evan Fournier out of position. Brooks also represents no long-term cost, as his $884,293 salary comes off the books following the season.

In 43 games with Houston, Brooks was averaging seven points and 1.9 assists in 16.7 minutes, shooting just 39.5 percent from the floor. Since returning from China two seasons ago, he has struggled to nail down a consistent role, though in hindsight his 2009-10 appears to have been a product of opportunity and hot 3-point shooting rather than an actual evolution in his game.

It's worth noting that Brooks has the right to veto any trade due to his contract status, though nobody is reporting that this could or should be an issue. While Brooks didn't negotiate a no-trade clause, players playing on a one-year contract whose teams hold their Bird Rights have the right to veto any trade, because being dealt will make them a Non-Bird free agent.

Hamilton, meanwhile, represents a nice gamble for the Rockets, who had little use for Brooks as a third point guard. While he's slightly more expensive, Hamilton is just 23 years old and was a first round pick in 2011. The team could use help on the perimeter, and if a change of scenery can settle down Hamilton's inconsistencies, they may have a rotation player on their hands.

In 39 games with the Nuggets this year, Hamilton was averaging 6.8 points and 3.4 rebounds, though he was shooting just 39 percent from the floor. He has shown an ability to hit from deep, however, shooting 34.9 percent on threes for the season and 35.7 percent for his career.

So at the cost of a little-used rotation player, the Rockets get to try out a young, athletic forward with the potential to space the floor. So Morey of Morey.

Click here to access our NBA Trade Deadline Tracker, which includes every rumor and trade

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