The Nuggets and Celtics agreed to a trade Thursday just hours before the deadline, with point guard Shammond Williams going to Denver for center Mark Blount and forward Mark Bryant.

Denver also receives cash and a second-round pick from Boston, Celtics spokesman Jeff Twiss said.

Williams, a fifth-year guard, was Boston's third-string playmaker, behind J.R. Bremer and Tony Delk. With the Nuggets, he will join Chris Whitney and rookie Junior Harrington as the point guards on the team with the league's second-worst record (12-43).

Whitney has been bothered by an ankle injury all season, leaving Denver short-handed at point guard. At one point, rookie shooting guard Vincent Yarbrough was moved to the point because the Nuggets had no one to back up Harrington.

Denver coach Jeff Bzdelik said Williams will likely split time between point and shooting guard.

"Shammond will give us an opportunity to run the basketball. He's an excellent 3-point shooter, he's an up-and-into defender, so he has qualities here that we need,'' Bzdelik said.

Williams averaged 7.3 points and 2.5 assists in 51 games for the Celtics.

Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said he hoped Williams would be in Denver in time for practice Friday morning.

In acquiring Blount and Bryant, the Celtics added size to a front line that has been hampered by Tony Battie's injuries and Vin Baker's ineffectiveness. Blount was averaging 5.2 points and 3.4 rebounds. He was a member of the Celtics his first two NBA seasons before signing with Denver last summer.

Blount and Bryant are expected to join the team in Boston after Thursday night's game against Sacramento.

Bryant is being traded for the second time this season. He was sent earlier from Philadelphia to Denver in a three-way trade also involving Houston.

The Celtics will be the 10th NBA team for Bryant, a 14-year veteran who has scored only 13 points in 14 games this season.

Also Thursday, the Celtics placed center Bruno Sundov on the injured list with a sprained right ankle. He is expected to miss up to two weeks.