DENVER - The Denver Nuggets traded guard-forward Ruben Patterson to the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday for forward Joe Smith. Smith has averaged 12.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in 751 career games with Golden State, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Detroit and Milwaukee. He averaged 8.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 44 games for the Bucks last season.

Smith was the top overall pick by the Warriors in the 1995 NBA draft and his best season was 1996-97, when he averaged 18.7 points and 8.5 rebounds for Golden State.

Patterson was acquired in a deadline deal with Portland on Feb. 23. He averaged 13.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 26 games with Denver. For the year, his averages were 12.1 points and 3.4 rebounds.