Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Kyler’s Latest: Dragic, Deng, Garnett, Lawson

February 17th, 2015 at 10:09am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks have engaged the Suns in talks as they keep an eye on Goran Dragic, just as the Lakers have done, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes in his NBA AM piece. The Knicks and Lakers would be on board with trading for a player whom they could otherwise just wait to sign outright in free agency this summer, like Dragic, but it doesn’t seem that either would give up major assets in any such swap. Kyler has plenty more new information with the trade deadline just two days off, and we’ll hit the highlights here:

Miami is open to trading Luol Deng, according to Kyler, who suggests that the veteran small forward isn’t garnering the sort of interest it would take for him to be traded. Kyler also lists Norris Cole, Chris Andersen and Danny Granger as players the Heat are making available, which jibes with earlier reports on all three.
Golden State is “more than” interested in Kevin Garnett, Kyler hears, which advances a suggestion from Grantland’s Zach Lowe on Monday that the Warriors would like to try to convince Garnett to waive his no-trade clause. The 20th-year veteran reportedly has no plans to seek a buyout.
The Bucks are “being linked” to Ty Lawson, Kyler writes, though it’s unclear just what sort of interest is there.
The Bulls would think about trading Tony Snell for a veteran shooting guard who fits what they’re looking for, Kyler writes. Still, while Chicago is speaking generally about doing some deals before the deadline, the team doesn’t appear to be willing to give up what it would take, according to Kyler.
The Suns are making Gerald Green available, according to Kyler.
Charlotte has interest in Wilson Chandler, but the Hornets would prefer to trade for Arron Afflalo, as Kyler hears. That’s the reverse of the Blazers‘ apparent preference. The Bulls are “sniffing at” both players, too, Kyler adds, nonetheless casting doubt once more on whether Chicago is willing to give up the assets necessary to swing a deal.
Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas have come up in trade rumors, but it’s more likely that the Raptors deal someone on an expiring contract, according to Kyler, naming Landry Fields, Tyler Hansbrough and Amir Johnson as examples.
Sources close to the Pacers tell Kyler that David West is likely to opt in with the Pacers for next season, when his contract calls for him to make $12.6MM.
There is “a sense” that the Magic are making Ben Gordon and Luke Ridnour available, Kyler says.

Atlantic Notes: Wallace, Celtics, ‘Melo, Carlesimo

February 17th, 2015 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

A Western Conference team has been inquiring with the Celtics about Gerald Wallace, according to Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. The veteran forward makes nearly $10.106MM this season and the same salary next year, making him Boston’s highest-paid player and difficult to trade. The proposals the Celtics have received for him and others are “lowball” offers, Bulpett says, though in Wallace’s case, that’s certainly not surprising, given the albatross his contract has represented ever since Boston acquired him in the Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce trade of 2013. There’s more from Bulpett’s piece on the Celtics amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:

The Celtics reportedly have interest in Ty Lawson and Enes Kanter, but it’s unlikely either winds up in Boston come the trade deadline, as Bulpett writes in the same piece. Kanter’s public trade request is concerning to potential suitors, several league sources tell the Herald scribe.
Some within the Knicks have for weeks wanted Carmelo Anthony to stop playing this season so he can tend to his injured left knee, reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
The summer ahead will show whether the Knicks under Phil Jackson can truly commit to a long-range plan or fall prey to the sort of quick-fix moves that have hurt the team in recent years, opines Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal.
P.J. Carlesimo admits he’d like to coach in the NBA again and thought his productive, albeit brief tenure with the Nets two years ago might help boost his stock around the league. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has the details via Twitlonger.
Jerryd Bayless spoke glowingly about the time he spent with the Celtics and even admitted he would’ve liked to have re-signed with Boston when he was a free agent last summer, as Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe relays. Still, the seventh-year guard was quick to express a fondness for the Bucks, with whom he signed a two-year contract in July.

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Blazers, Sanders, Trade Rumors, Bulls

February 16th, 2015 at 10:34pm CST by Charlie Adams

Jermaine O’Neal appeared poised to join the Mavs, but instead it’ll be another big man jumping aboard Dallas’ roster mid-season, as Amar’e Stoudemire has reportedly committed to inking a deal with Rick Carlise and company. While the seven-time All-Star hooking up with the Mavs is the biggest scoop of the night, we’ve got plenty more from around the league to round up below:

The Blazers “will not hesitate” to send a first-round pick, Thomas Robinson, and “another player” to the Nuggets in exchange for Wilson Chandler, reports Jabari Young of CSNNW.com. Portland prefers Chandler to Arron Afflalo, according to Young, but the team would be interested in adding Afflalo if Denver’s asking price on him is significantly lower than that of Chandler’s.
If Larry Sanders and the Bucks reach a deal on a buyout, the Cavs will be among the teams with interest in signing the 26-year-old big man, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link). Sanders hasn’t suited up for Milwaukee since December 23rd.
There’s “plenty of interest” around the league in Brendan Haywood‘s uniquely structured contract, Amico reports in the same tweet.
The Bulls are interested in adding a shooter to their roster, but they won’t move any of their big men or sacrifice a future first-rounder to do so, tweets K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Such reluctance likely means they won’t be able to land the sharpshooting Afflalo, whom the team is reportedly high on, and Johnson indicates Chicago will look to the list of players who reach buyout deals as potential targets.
Andre Dawkins‘ second 10-day contract with the Celtics expired last week, but Boston doesn’t intend to re-sign him for the remainder of the season, reveals Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
While no signing is imminent, the Bulls and Ronnie Brewer have kept in close contact this season, reports Shams Charania of RealGM. Chicago has one open roster spot.
The Wizards hope to acquire a speedy point guard to back up John Wall and a shooter to help space the floor, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports passes along in his weekly power rankings.
Adam Silver doesn’t believe that the draft lottery is a broken system, but he confessed that fans’ generally negative perception of it has him contemplating a new way to determine the draft order, observes Benjamin Hoffman of the New York Times.

Northwest Notes: Aldridge, Thunder, Lopez

February 16th, 2015 at 1:37pm CST by Chuck Myron

Most around the league expect LaMarcus Aldridge to re-sign with the Trail Blazers this coming summer, as he said he would, but an executive from an opposing team told Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that the Blazers are “very, very scared” that he’ll walk in free agency. The exec cautioned that it’s probably just “paranoid” thinking on their part, but this weekend, peppered with questions from the New York media, Aldridge praised Phil Jackson, the city of New York, and said he’d be a fit for the triangle offense, Deveney notes. The power forward has largely declined to talk specifics about his upcoming free agency since just before training camp, when he repeated his intention to re-sign with Portland. Here’s more from a busy Northwest Division:

Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Serge Ibaka and Steven Adams are off-limits for the Thunder, but the team is open to trading everyone else for the right offer, tweets Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
It’s unlikely the Nuggets trade Jameer Nelson, in spite of interest from the Wizards, Heat and Cavs, given GM Tim Connelly‘s long-held desire to have the point guard on the team, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post,
The Nuggets would like to trade JaVale McGee more than any other player on their roster, but the team is making Gary Harris and Jusuf Nurkic untouchable for any deal, Dempsey adds in the same piece. Grantland’s Zach Lowe also reported today that Nurkic is off-limits.
The Blazers would like to add a small forward, given Nicolas Batum‘s inconsistency this season, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes amid his weekly power rankings.
Sources tell Kennedy they believe the Timberwolves are open to trading some of their veterans for the right return (Twitter link). Still, president of basketball operations and coach Flip Saunders has said he doesn’t intend to do any more deals.
The Blazers and Pelicans are worth keeping an eye on as the Wolves continue to try to honor Chase Budinger‘s trade request, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).

Nuggets Talk Afflalo With Thunder, Others

February 16th, 2015 at 12:12pm CST by Chuck Myron

MONDAY, 12:12pm: Shelburne mentions the Thunder among the teams that have discussed Afflalo with the Nuggets in her latest tweet. The Kings, Bulls and Clippers are the others Shelburne names, though she cautions that none of the talks have become serious. Grantland’s Zach Lowe indicated this morning that the Nuggets are seeking multiple first-rounders for Afflalo. Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes that the Nuggets are seeking only a mid-to-late first-rounder, but that teams are hesitant to pay even that price.

WEDNESDAY, 8:59am: The Nuggets have discussed Arron Afflalo with the Blazers, Bulls and Kings, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link), who also reiterates her earlier report that Denver has heard from the Clippers and Heat about the shooting guard, too. That dispatch also had the Hornets in the Afflalo discussion, but Shelburne doesn’t mention Charlotte this time around, perhaps an indication that the Hornets have moved on in the wake of their Mo Williams acquisition. The Nuggets seek a first-round pick for Afflalo, as Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post reported earlier and as Shelburne alludes to, but even given that sort of cost to other teams, Afflalo is more likely to end up in a trade before the deadline than Wilson Chandler, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears (Twitter link).

Indeed, the Nuggets would prefer to move Afflalo instead of Chandler if they had to choose, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News wrote a week ago. The general belief is that Denver is also seeking a first-rounder for Chandler, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reported last week and as he reiterated overnight (on Twitter), echoing another report from Dempsey that the Blazers and Clippers, also apparent Afflalo suitors, are interested.

The Bulls have all of their own first-rounders for the coming years, plus they have a first-round pick coming from the Kings as soon as this year. Portland also has all of its own first-rounders. The Kings owe their pick to Chicago but otherwise have all of their first-rounders, too, while the Heat are in a similar position, with all of their own first-rounders except one that they owe to the Sixers that could go out this year. The Clippers are in the worst position among the latest teams connected to Afflalo, owing this year’s first-round pick to the Celtics and their 2017 pick, with protections that carry through 2019, to the Bucks.

I profiled the trade candidacies of Afflalo and Chandler, but they’re not the only Nuggets liable to move between now and the February 19th deadline, as Stein names Randy Foye and Jameer Nelson trade candidates, too (Twitter link). Denver can’t aggregate Nelson’s $2.732MM salary with any other player, since the team acquired him via trade less than two months ago, but there are no such restrictions on Foye, who makes $3MM. Foye’s $3.135MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed while Nelson has a player option worth nearly $2.855MM.

Celtics Engage In Exploratory Ty Lawson Talks

February 16th, 2015 at 9:53am CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics and Nuggets have had exploratory conversations about a deal involving Ty Lawson, several sources tell Grantland’s Zach Lowe. People around the league sense that a team could pry Lawson or Kenneth Faried from the Nuggets for an especially intriguing offer, Lowe hears. The Nuggets are a hub of activity leading up to Thursday’s 2pm Central trade deadline, and Jusuf Nurkic is the only Nuggets player truly off-limits, several league sources said to Lowe. Still, Denver’s setting high prices, as the Grantland scribe suggests the Nuggets are looking for multiple first-round picks in return for each of Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler instead of just one for each, as previous reports indicated. He also hints that the Nuggets have spoken to the Wizards about Chandler and Afflalo, though that point isn’t entirely clear.

Boston would be an odd fit for Lawson, since the Celtics have 2014 No. 6 overall pick Marcus Smart at the point after trading Rajon Rondo, and Lowe writes that Boston won’t relinquish Smart in any deal for Lawson. Still, Lawson is tied for the league lead with a career-high 10.1 assists per game, and his salary of nearly $11.596MM would fit within Boston’s massive trade exception worth more than $12.909MM left over from the Rondo trade, so the Nuggets could offload his salary without taking anyone back. Lawson has two more seasons on his deal, worth $12.404MM in 2015/16 and $13.213MM in 2016/17.

Nuggets coach Brian Shaw has clashed with the point guard at times this season, according to Lowe, who nonetheless downplays the significance of that conflict. Denver appeared to be against the idea of putting Lawson in a deal for Brook Lopez last month, and while another report suggested Denver was willing to trade the 27-year-old, the asking price from GM Tim Connelly and company was a turn-off to would-be suitors.

Trade Candidate: Nik Stauskas

February 13th, 2015 at 7:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

When Adam Silver read aloud the name on the card denoting the Kings’ first-round draft selection last June, it was a bit of a surprise when Nik Stauskas‘ name was the one the commissioner intoned. This wasn’t due to Stauskas lacking lottery-level talent, but rather because Sacramento had previously selected Ben McLemore, another shooting guard, in 2013’s draft lottery. McLemore certainly didn’t set the league on fire during his rookie season, averaging only 8.8 points on 37.6% shooting, but a single season seemed like a rather brief trial period for such a significant investment. Now it would appear that the Kings’ patience may have withered to only half of a season’s time for their younger players with the report from Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that the team has been willing to deal Stauskas.

From all outward appearances, the Kings organization as a whole currently seems rife with dysfunction, and their apparent willingness to deal Stauskas only reinforces this viewpoint. One would think that seeing how McLemore has improved in year two of his NBA career would make Sacramento think twice about parting with a player it selected with the No. 8 overall pick after just 48 games, but that isn’t necessarily the case.

The Kings appear to have soured just a bit on the rookie since the beginning of the season. This summer, Sacramento GM Pete D’Alessandro spoke about Stauskas, saying, “We have high hopes for Nik. He’s very young so we’re not going to put a lot of pressure on him this year, but I don’t think we don’t need to. He puts a lot of pressure on himself. We have very high hopes for him as a player, as a shooter, and as a guy who can help us to stretch the floor, so there’s a lot of opportunities for him. What stands out about him right now is confidence. If he gets three shots, he feels like he’s going to make all three. If he gets 20 shots, he feels like he’s going to make 20. He’s not a guy that will ever have the ball in his hands and feel like he’s not going to succeed with it and you saw that in Summer League. We didn’t go to him as often as we might have, but nothing really fazed him. He continued to shoot the ball well and do what he does. So we’re looking forward to his development.”

Berger’s report relayed that the Kings had fielded numerous calls regarding the 21-year-old Stauskas since the beginning of the season, but that Sacramento had initially declined to deal him. The Nets were reportedly requesting the rookie out of Michigan during trade talks that potentially had Deron Williams heading west to join Sacramento, but D’Alessandro was hesitant to give him up at the time. This was likely a very wise move by the GM, considering how far Williams’ game has slipped, and the veteran still having two years, and approximately $43MM, remaining on his contract after this season.

At some point, Sacramento changed its stance on holding onto its young guard. Either the Kings have seen enough of Stauskas to believe that he isn’t going to be a player in the league, and decided to try and deal him while his value is still relatively high, or Sacramento feels that dealing the rookie is its best chance to nab the parts that the franchise feels that it is missing. Berger’s report also noted that Sacramento was seeking to upgrade its frontcourt, and that in any deal involving Stauskas the Kings sought either a stretch four or an above-the-rim defender to pair alongside star center DeMarcus Cousins.

It was to be expected that Stauskas would struggle on the defensive end; most rookies do. But what the Kings didn’t expect is for the rookie to average a meager 3.5 points per game while shooting a dreary 33.1% from the field and an anemic 26.4% from beyond the arc. Personally, I’m not sold on Stauskas as a long-term NBA star, nor was I ever. He’s not quick enough or strong enough to guard the upper-level two guards in the league, and he hasn’t demonstrated the ability to be able to create his own shots consistently. Stauskas’ ceiling is likely as a situational shooter off of the bench. While that is a valuable asset to have in the league, it’s hardly what the goal is when selecting a player in the top 10. The best case scenario I see for Stauskas is him becoming a shorter version of Steve Novak.

If my read on Stauskas’ potential is correct, then it may in fact be wise for the Kings to kick the tires on dealing the player. While his value isn’t at a premium right now, his youth and upside can be used to net Sacramento a player who could help the team immediately. In today’s NBA, where players eschew multiple years of college development in favor of an early NBA payday, a steep learning curve encompassing multiple seasons is no longer an outlier and is now the norm. D’Alessandro could use that in his sales pitch and try to entice another GM to overpay for a recent lottery pick like Stauskas. But I can’t help thinking that if the team wanted a stretch four, it should have tried to trade down in last year’s draft and simply selected a player like Adreian Payne, who was taken by Atlanta with the No. 15 overall pick, and who was recently dealt to Minnesota. Payne has been showing steady improvement in the D-League as the season wears on, and he’s exactly the kind of player the Kings could use.

The current market for Stauskas is difficult to gauge. He’s a young player with upside, which could make him attractive to a rebuilding franchise, but playoff contenders wouldn’t likely see him as a missing piece in their pursuit of a postseason berth. In addition, Sacramento’s desire to obtain a stretch four or a rim protector isn’t a unique need, and this is definitely a case of the demand far exceeding the supply around the league. There are a few potential trading partners for Stauskas that could be fits. But these teams are merely my speculation, and not based on current reports.

Heat: The offseason signing of Josh McRoberts hasn’t quite worked out the way Miami had hoped. “McBob” hasn’t found his niche with the Heat, and injuries have limited him to just 17 appearances this season. But the 27-year-old has shown the ability to nail three’s and would certainly fit the bill as the stretch four the Kings desire. McRoberts is out for the remainder of the season, but Sacramento could acquire him with an eye on 2015/16. Additional players would need to be included to make the trade work under the cap, but with both teams in need of a makeover, that isn’t necessarily an issue.
Lakers: The Lakers are in a state of flux as a franchise, and with the future of Kobe Bryant unclear, acquiring a young shooting guard like Stauskas could be a wise move. While Los Angeles doesn’t have the stretch four the Kings desire, it does have Jordan Hill, who would fit the bill as a rim protector. Hill possesses a $9MM team option for next season, which could make him a valuable trade chip this summer for the Kings if they didn’t feel he was the proper fit.
Bulls: While Chicago may not have an immediate need at shooting guard, it wouldn’t hurt for them to nab a young shooter whom the team could groom for the future. For Sacramento, Bulls forward Taj Gibson would be the ideal trade target. The 29-year-old would bring a solid work ethic, stout defense and rebounding, as well as add some scoring punch from the four spot for Sacramento. With the rise of rookie Nikola Mirotic and the presence of Pau Gasol, Gibson has become somewhat expendable in Chicago. Though, with Arron Afflalo reportedly on the market, Chicago would almost certainly be better served to add the veteran for the stretch run than Stauskas.
Nuggets: As I just mentioned, with Afflalo a trade candidate, Stauskas could be included in a deal to nab the veteran shooting guard. The sticking point in any deal between Denver and Sacramento would be the Nuggets’ desire to obtain a first-rounder in return for Afflalo. The Kings owe this year’s first round pick to the Bulls, though it is top-10 protected through 2017. The Nuggets also have a young swingman in Gary Harris already, and they may not want to add more youth to that spot on the floor.

When the dust settles and the NBA trade deadline has passed, there’s a better-than-average chance that Stauskas remains a member of the Kings. I also believe that if the Kings indeed trade him, they would include him as the sweetener necessary either to nab a player who can help the Kings long-term or, in a more likely scenario, to entice another team to take on a less desirable contract. I don’t think that the Kings simply wish to rid themselves of his presence. Stauskas hasn’t shown that he was worthy of being a top-10 pick yet, but there is still plenty of time for him to develop into a serviceable pro. Unless the Kings can significantly improve their roster, they would be better served to see how Stauskas progresses over the summer and through a second NBA training camp.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Kings Interested In Jackson, Jerebko, Nuggets

February 13th, 2015 at 10:30am CST by Chuck Myron

The Kings have turned their focus to trades this week now that George Karl has agreed to take over as coach, and they’ve spoken with the Nuggets and held preliminary talks with the Thunder about Reggie Jackson and Pistons about Jonas Jerebko, reports Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Deveney’s report suggests the Kings and Nuggets have talked about Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler, which, in the case of Afflalo, would affirm a report from earlier this week via Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Sacramento is shopping Nik Stauskas, Derrick Williams and Jason Thompson, Deveney writes, which jibes with a report from Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders on Williams but changes the narrative on Stauskas and Thompson, whom the team previously seemed only to have made available.

In any case, the Nuggets would like athletic players who fit Karl’s up-tempo style, and have been “as active as anyone” and are “pushing hard” to do a deal, one GM tells Deveney. Specifically, the Kings continue to seek an upgrade at power forward who can shoot from the outside, and they’d also like to add more shooting at other positions, Deveney writes. The Sporting News scribe speculates that the team might have interest in Ersan Ilyasova and suggests the Bucks would like to deal the stretch four, given his deal, which gives him $7.9MM this season, another $7.9MM next year, and is partially guaranteed for $400K the following season.

Denver is reportedly seeking first-round picks for Afflalo and Chandler, though Marc Stein of ESPN.com wrote Thursday that the Nuggets are apparently looking for a better return for Chandler than for Afflalo and that some believe Chandler is one of the few Nuggets the team isn’t shopping. The two have similar salaries for this season and next, but while Afflalo has a player option on his $7.5MM for 2015/16, Chandler’s nearly $7.172MM for next year is only partially guaranteed for $2MM.

Stein’s report also noted that GMs around the league believe Jackson is one of the three biggest names likely to be dealt before the deadline, and the Heat have apparently joined the Knicks among the teams with interest. The Pistons would like to deal Jerebko for a point guard, as Deveney wrote recently, but the Heat’s insistence that Detroit take Danny Granger after the Pistons offered Jerebko for Norris Cole stopped a potential deal there, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Stauskas, the eighth overall pick in the 2014 draft, is seeing only 13.6 minutes per game this season behind Ben McLemore, a lottery pick from 2013. Thompson is the incumbent starter at power forward for Sacramento, but he’s struggled to live up to a deal that pays him between $6MM and $7MM each season through 2016/17, when his salary is partially guaranteed for $2.65MM. He doesn’t fit the mold of the stretch four the Kings want, as Deveney points out.

Wizards, Heat, Cavs Interested In Jameer Nelson

February 13th, 2015 at 7:46am CST by Eddie Scarito

FRIDAY, 7:46am: The Cavs have also targeted Nelson as they’ve made contact with several teams as they seek an upgrade at backup point guard, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. They’ve been offering Brendan Haywood and his subtly valuable contract to other teams amid their search, Windhorst writes, seconding an earlier report from Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Still, the ESPN scribe doesn’t specify whether they’ve offered Haywood to Denver.

THURSDAY, 4:50pm: The Wizards and the Heat have had discussions with the Nuggets regarding Jameer Nelson, Shams Charania of RealGM.com reports (Twitter link). The Cavs had previously expressed interest in the veteran point guard when Nelson was a member of the Celtics, but there has been no contact since, Charania adds. Nelson is currently nursing a sore Achilles, and has missed Denver’s last three games as a result. The 33-year-old is making $2,732,000 this season, and he owns a player option for 2015/16 worth $2,854,940.

Nelson is already on his third team of the season, having began the year in Dallas. But he was dealt to the Celtics along with Brandan Wright and Jae Crowder in the trade for Rajon Rondo back in December. The Celtics and Nelson had discussed a potential buyout arrangement, but the point guard was instead dealt to the Nuggets for Nate Robinson back in January.

Miami is badly in need of an upgrade at the point, with Norris Cole averaging only 6.3 points per game, and rookie Shabazz Napier struggling as well, logging 5.1 points on 36.8% shooting. Cole is reportedly on the trading block, and has been mentioned in connection with the Hornets, Pistons, and Nets. Our own Chuck Myron examined Cole’s trade candidacy last month.

The Wizards could be looking to add backcourt depth in the event that Bradley Beal‘s stress reaction in his right leg will keep him out for a prolonged period of time. Beal is set to be reevaluated by the team after the All-Star break. The Wizards have All-Star John Wall and veteran Andre Miller on their depth chart at the one spot.

Nelson’s career stats over 10 years and 691 contests are 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. His career slash line is .439/.372/.815. He has appeared in 11 games for the Nuggets, and has logged 9.4 points and 4.5 assists in 21.7 minutes per contest.

Northwest Notes: Chandler, Afflalo, Jackson

February 12th, 2015 at 1:58pm CST by Chuck Myron

Denver’s demands for Wilson Chandler are higher than they are for Arron Afflalo, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com hears, and some believe that he’s among the few Nuggets the team isn’t shopping, Stein writes. There are conflicting reports about whether Denver has been shopping Chandler, though the general belief has been that GM Tim Connelly and company are seeking a first-round pick in exchange, as Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders reported. Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post reported that a first-rounder is the Nuggets’ asking price for Afflalo, too, so there may be a more nuanced difference between what they’re asking for each. In any case, the Nuggets appear to be active, as Stein writes, and there’s more from his piece amid the latest from the Northwest Division:

Afflalo and Reggie Jackson are two of the three players whom GMs mentioned most frequently when Stein asked about the biggest names likely to move at the deadline. Brook Lopez, whom the Nuggets and Thunder have reportedly sought, is the other.
Adreian Payne went from the best team in the Eastern Conference to the worst team in the West in Tuesday’s trade that sent him from the Hawks to the Timberwolves, but he doesn’t mind that, as Andy Greder of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes. Instead, last year’s No. 15 overall pick is excited about the chance to play after going on four D-League assignments and appearing in only three NBA games with Atlanta.
Minnesota’s futile attempts to surround a young Kevin Garnett with veterans during Flip Saunders‘ first stint at Wolves coach gave Saunders, now both coach and president of basketball operations, a lesson about what not to do, argues Michael Rand of the Star Tribune. Tuesday’s pair of trades were further indication that Saunders intends to follow a different path with Andrew Wiggins and surround him with young talent, Rand believes.