The Nuggets did not have a pick in the 2^nd round of the NBA draft on Thursday, after trading the pick to the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday so they could draft DaRon Holmes in the 1^st round.

But that didn’t stop the Nuggets from making headlines.

They traded backup point guard Reggie Jackson and three future second-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets in return for cash considerations.

The move saves the Nuggets about $5.25 million dollars against the salary cap and gives them some financial freedom moving into free agency on Sunday.

Jackson, the Colorado native, played in every game last season averaging just over 10 points a game.

The Nuggets also signed two undrafted free agents on Thursday. Creighton’s Trey Alexander and Clemson’s PJ Hall received two-way contracts. Hall averaged 18.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game for the Tigers last season. Alexander led Creighton with 17.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

Also, Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made it official on Thursday. He is declining his $15.4 million player contract option for next season and will test the free agent waters. The Nuggets will make an offer to keep their starting guard, but he is expected to get numerous offers on the open market and it may be financially impossible for the Nuggets to match. General Manager Calvin Booth told us on Wednesday that the team is ready for whatever happens.

“We can try to bring him back, and if he doesn’t want to come back or opts to go somewhere else, that’s his prerogative,” said Booth. “But I think we’re prepared to plug and play, so to speak. I think if Christian Braun has to step into the starting lineup, I think we’ll be OK, if KCP doesn’t return.”

The Nuggets are also working on a new max contract extension for starting guard Jamal Murray. The new deal will be for 4 years and $209 million dollars. Murray is expected to sign the deal. He and Nikola Jokic are the two most important pieces of the Nuggets championship puzzle.

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver International Airport visitors might have seen a big surprise on one of the airport’s runways Tuesday as one of the world’s largest aircrafts touched down.

There are only 26 Antonov An-124 Ruslan planes in commercial service across the globe. One of them had a job that led it from Milan, Italy, to Goose Bay, Canada, to finally Denver International Airport in the span of a day, according to FlightAware.

According to DIA, the plane’s special load was a helicopter, which fits easily inside the massive plane. The four-engine plane has a cargo compartment that’s 20% larger than the main cargo compartment of the C-5 Galaxy, which is a large military transport plane that can carry “a payload of … up to five helicopters,” according to the manufacturer.

This particular plane model was designed in the early 1980s, according to Antonov, a Ukrainian company that manufactures the planes. The An-124 Ruslan was originally designed as a Soviet heavy strategic military transport craft, capable of carrying up to 150 tons of cargo.

The plane type then transitioned into the commercial transportation market, which is how it’s used today. As seen in the photos, the aircraft’s noses can be raised to accommodate large, inflexible loads, such as military vehicles or helicopters, as was this case. According to the aircraft manufacturer, the plane also has a “kneeling” function to allow for easier loading.

While details on where the plane is headed are unknown, aviation geeks were quick to point out the massive bird at DIA on Tuesday.

Notably, the plane type has been used to set approximately 30 world records, according to Antonov. These include an absolute payload-to-altitude record and a world record for distance flown without refueling.

The plane’s surprise appearance at DIA was noted by many aviation experts, so keep an eye out if you’re headed to the airport for July 4 or any other trip — You never know what you might see on the runway.

DENVER (KDVR) — Public defenders ensure that anyone facing charges in the U.S. can get legal representation. But in Colorado’s municipal courts, children who want to defend their cases must hire a private lawyer — or even represent themselves.

That changes in Denver on July 1. A new city ordinance will provide free public defenders for young people in the municipal court system, making Denver the first in the state to do so.

“By providing holistic representation, we are dedicated to working closely with our clients, their families, schools, and local youth organizations to once and for all break the school to prison pipeline and allow for powerful self-autonomy,” Colette Tvedt, chief municipal public defender, said in a release announcing the change.

Cases before municipal court could be something like a ticket for fighting, trespassing or allegations from school — low-level cases that do not reach a level to be prosecuted by the state.

Historically, the defender’s office said any young person facing a charge in municipal court would meet with the prosecutor and a diversion officer to discuss how to resolve the case, whether through a plea deal, diversion or a trial. But neither could give the youth legal advice nor could the judge.

“If a young person wanted to challenge their case, and take it to trial, they either had to represent themselves or their parents would need to hire private counsel,” the release reads.

Denver council changes public defense law for youth

Part of the reason young people in Denver municipal court were not afforded legal counsel before is they did not face jail or removal from their homes because of the case, according to the defender’s office, which argues that any involvement in the criminal legal system can have lasting effects, nonetheless.

“The harm any court contact or law enforcement contact a young person has can ripple into the rest of their lives, especially the way they see themselves. The goal here is to remind them that they have a voice, they have a say, and they matter,” the release reads.

Denver City Council passed the bill 12-0 in December, with at-large Council Member Sarah Parady absent. Paul Kashmann and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez sponsored the bill.

The Office of the Municipal Public Defender has said it expects an extra 50 cases each month once the change goes into effect. The office will also offer a youth peer support specialist to help navigate the process.