SMITH FOR PATTERSON SWAP
Denver Nuggets acquired forward Joe Smith from traded Joe Smith from the Milwaukee Bucks for Ruben Patterson.
What does it give the Denver Nuggets
Smith's an underrated veteran power forward who is good enough to be a starter. He has never lived up to the hype associated with being the No.1 overall pick of the 1995 NBA draft, but he's not as much of a bust as some suggest. He's an above-average rebounder and defender, who can also provide solid post scoring when called upon. Like the rest of Denver's big men, Smith is a constant injury risk, which is probably his only major downside. Above all he provides solid frontcourt insurance for a team that already boasts a big-man rotation of Marcus Camby, Nene Hilario, and Kenyon Martin. Head coach George Karl loves to play high-percentage hoops, and the addition of Smith is in line with that approach.
What does it give the Milwaukee Bucks
A very athletic and capable slasher who can come off the bench and provide a spark. The Bucks didn't need Smith once they traded for Charlie Villanueva, so he was expendable for a player like Patterson. Milwaukee is quietly building a young, up-tempo team and while Patterson isn't really young he plays like it. He's a tough player who gets easy transition buckets and can score in bunches off the bench, and he certainly won't hurt his team on the defensive end. Patterson does have some character issues, as evidenced by his past brushes with the law and problems with coaches. If he can accept a reserve role and show he's maturing as he gets older, he'll be a solid rotation player for Milwaukee.
Fantasy impact
