The Spurs are trading Bryn Forbes, receiving Juancho Hernangomez as part of three-team deal

The San Antonio Spurs aren’t known for making many midseason trades, but a late night Woj Bomb from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski revealed that they will be trading Bryn Forbes and receiving power forward Juancho Hernangomez from the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team deal. The deal will send Forbes to the Denver Nuggets, Bol Bol and PJ Dozier to Boston, plus Denver’s 2028 second pick will come to the Spurs.

There had been rumblings — both old and very recent — about Forbes being an attractive target for a playoff team or contender looking for some extra shooting, and he’ll provide just that for a Nuggets squad that has been missing Jamal Murray all season and Michael Porter Jr. for a lot of it. Forbes was in his fifth season with the Spurs and second stint overall after winning the 2021 championship with the Milwaukee Bucks last season.

In the 6’9” Hernangomez, the Spurs are getting a true power forward, although one who is not having much of an impact on this season so far. After summer of drama in which the Minnesota Timberwolves blocked him from playing for Spain because of a shoulder injury, he was traded to Memphis in August, and then Boston before training camp, where he has only played in 18 games, averaging 1.1 points in 5.3 minutes per game. He last played on December 27.

It’s hard to know if he’ll get much playing time — Thaddeus Young hasn’t, and Zach Collins is currently in Austin getting back into playing shape so could be ready soon — but Hernangomez will at a minimum help fill out the depth chart in an area the Spurs are lacking. He is currently on the second year of a 3-year, $21 million deal, with 2022-23 being nonguaranteed until June 30.

In the meantime, a big San Antonio welcome to Juancho, and once again a huge thank you and good luck goes out to Sparty. Forbes will always be one of the great undrafted gems the Spurs uncovered, and as the old saying goes: Once a Spur, always a Spur.