Nuggets pick Faried, trade for Hamilton, Miller

The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Hamilton played two seasons at Texas. He averaged 18.6 points and 7.7 rebounds for the Longhorns in 2010-11.

The Nuggets are coming off a turbulent season that ended with their seventh first-round postseason exit in eight years. They dealt All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the New York Knicks for five players in February. Free of the distraction of Anthony’s wish to be traded, the team won 18 of its last 25 to finish with 50 wins before losing to Oklahoma City in five games in the first round of the playoffs.

One of the players they got in the Anthony deal was Felton, who backed up point guard Ty Lawson.

This was the first time the Nuggets drafted a player in the first round since 2005, when they picked Julius Hodge at 20 and Jarrett Jack at 22. Hodge played 14 games in parts of two seasons with Denver and Jack was sent to Portland on draft night for Linas Kleiza and Ricky Sanchez.

After years of empty draft nights, the Nuggets feel they got two key pieces for their team.

“We feel we got a couple of good young players that could turn out to be a good help for our team,” Ujiri said.

Miller, 35, played three-plus seasons with Denver before being sent to Philadelphia in the deal that brought Allen Iverson to the Nuggets in December 2006. He signed with Portland two summers ago and he averaged 12.7 points, 7 assists and 3.7 rebounds last season.

Ujiri said he talked with Miller after the trade and the point guard is happy to be back with the Nuggets and is willing to come off the bench. Ujiri also said Karl was ecstatic to have Miller back.

“He loves Andre Miller,” Ujiri said. “He explained it to me that Andre Miller makes our young guys better and makes our team basketball solid.”

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