A source said Sunday the Denver Nuggets are close to acquiring J.R. Smith, an up-and-coming guard who played last season for the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, the Rocky Mountain News is reporting.

In a deal that was announced Friday, Smith was traded with forward P.J. Brown from the Hornets to the Chicago Bulls for forward Tyson Chandler. The trade is expected to become official after Brown and Smith take physicals Wednesday.

The source said the Bulls then plan to trade Smith to the Nuggets for guard Howard Eisley, who has a nonguaranteed contract, and two future second-round picks. The Bulls, who need to clear salary cap room to sign free-agent forward Adrian Griffin, then would waive Eisley.

The 6-foot-6 Smith, 20, averaged 7.7 points last season after averaging 10.3 as a rookie in 2004-05. He entered the NBA directly from St. Benedict's Prep, a high school in Newark, N.J.