DENVER — The Denver Nuggets have traded a future first-round draft pick to Minnesota for the rights to North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson, according to a person familiar with the deal.

The Nuggets, who lacked a first-round pick for the fourth straight year, landed Lawson in exchange for a future first-round pick they had acquired from Charlotte last year, according to the person, who confirmed the deal to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league hadn't announced the trade.

ESPN first reported the deal on its broadcast of the draft Thursday night.

The Nuggets have long coveted Lawson, who opted to return to school last year and then led the Tar Heels to the national championship.

Denver needed a reserve point guard to spell Chauncey Billups, who tired toward the end of the Nuggets' run to the Western Conference finals last month. Billups will be 33 next season.

With the 34th overall pick, the Nuggets selected another point guard, Sergio Llull, of Spain.