Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nuggets Likely To Stand Pat Despite Offers

February 17th, 2013 at 9:47am CST by Chuck Myron

Many teams want to engage the Nuggets in trade talks before the deadline, given Denver's stockpile of versatile players, but GM Masai Ujiri still appears unlikely to make a move, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). That's in line with coach George Karl's comments from a little over a week ago that there's only a slim chance the team will do a deal. The Nuggets have a $13MM trade exception that's the largest among those set to expire at the deadline, so that could be part of the reason teams continue to try to get the Nuggets to rethink their stance.

The Nuggets have hit the All-Star break in fifth place in the Western Conference, but despite a favorable schedule down the stretch, there are doubts about how far the team can go. Though Denver's front office is "projecting calm," the most common prediction that executives from other teams have about the Nuggets' playoff chances is that they'll be eliminated in the second round, as Grantland's Zach Lowe revealed this week.

Denver gauged the Celtics' interest in trading Kevin Garnett, but KG wouldn't waive his no-trade clause to head there. The Nuggets have fielded plenty of calls about Timofey Mozgov, though they appear unlikely to move the soon-to-be restricted free agent unless they get an overwhelming offer. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reported Friday that the Nuggets have interest in J.J. Redick, but conversation about him has dried up of late, since Redick, a free agent this summer, wants to stay in Orlando. Instead, the team could pursue a small-scale deal involving Wilson Chandler, Corey Brewer or Anthony Randolph, Amico wrote.

Mozgov, Brewer and Julyan Stone are the only Nuggets on expiring contracts this year. Andre Iguodala is set to make $16.155MM in the final year of his deal next season, but he has an early-termination option, and whether he exercises that seems likely to be the most significant storyline of the offseason for the Nuggets. He hasn't committed one way or the other, but he's expressed a desire to stick around in Denver.

Categories:
Denver Nuggets

Amico On Smith, Nets, Nuggets, Sixers, Thunder

February 15th, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio has just published a piece rounding up a few of the latest trade rumblings from around the NBA, so let's dive in and tackle the highlights….

Josh Smith is viewed by Amico's sources as a near-lock to be moved, though there's no consensus on where he'll be headed. The Nets, Suns, and Mavericks are mentioned as potential destinations, with the Spurs in the mix as well.
One source isn't so sure the Hawks will move Smith by next Thursday: "They won’t just give the guy away. (Smith) is practically an All-Star. You can deal with the contract situation later."
The Nets haven't completely given up on the idea of making a play for Dwight Howard, but they'd likely need to get a third team involved. I'd consider that one a real long shot.
While the Nuggets are fairly content with their roster at the moment, they could explore a smaller move involving someone like Wilson Chandler, Corey Brewer, or Anthony Randolph. Denver has some interest in J.J. Redick, but Amico says conversations have "all but disappeared after he indicated he wants to stay with the Magic."
The Bulls and 76ers have started to get more active in trade talks within the last week.
The Raptors have engaged the Sixers in trade talks involving Andrea Bargnani, though it's not clear what would be going Toronto's way in a hypothetical deal — Spencer Hawes is one possibility.
After losing twice to the Heat this season, the Thunder are "strongly considering" making a move to bolster their lineup, according to Amico.

Odds & Ends: Smith, Sixers, Noel, Exceptions

February 13th, 2013 at 8:48pm CST by Alex Lee

As we've seen, the Josh Smith rumors have been frequent and plentiful. While Smith is aware of the buzz, the veteran forward seems unaffected, reports Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld via a series of tweets. Per Kyler, Smith has asked his family to refrain from bringing up media reports to him since he attempts to block that stuff out. While he is flattered to hear how many teams are interested, Smith's mind is on the present and he says the Hawks have yet to discuss the situation with him. While it certainly looks like there is a solid chance he will be traded, Smith reminds us that his name has been mentioned in rumors before to no avail. (Kyler tweets are listed here)

Smith's Hawks are in Orlando tonight – one of 12 games on the NBA schedule on Wednesday. Let's round up all the odds and ends from around the league here for the night:

The Sixers are not interested in trading Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner for Josh Smith, tweets the Philadelphia Inquirer's John Mitchell, citing two league sources. Philly has reportedly been dangling that duo and may be considered sleepers in the Smith sweepstakes.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times tweets that he keeps hearing Smith will end up as a member of the Celtics.
In light of the news that Nerlens Noel suffered a torn ACL on Tuesday, Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld drops the Kentucky freshman to No. 4 in his mock draft. Similar to what we heard from Jeff Goodman earlier, Koutroupis suspects that Noel will remain in this year's draft despite the injury, referencing the strength of next year's field. To me, since Noel will likely miss a sizeable chunk of next year with the Wildcats if he were to stay in school, it makes more sense to leave and rehabilitate his knee under NBA trainers if he can go anywhere in the top 10.
Several general managers still consider Noel a top-5 pick, while one has him slipping to between 10-12 if he comes out, tweets SI's Chris Mannix. Ben Roberts of the Lexington Herald-Leader, quoting Draft Express' Jonathan Givony, writes that the prevailing wisdom is that Noel is still a lock for the top-5. Givony believes Noel could still go No. 1 overall. Roberts adds that young NBA players that have suffered similar injuries have not had long term effects.
In an Insider piece for ESPN.com, Bradford Doolittle points to the Nuggets ($13MM), Magic ($17.8MM), Grizzlies ($7.5MM) and Bulls ($5MM) as teams with Traded Player Exceptions worth $5MM or more. The Nuggets may just have the urgency (their exception expires March 15) and the ability (it's large enough to acquire a significant piece) to make utilizing their exception worth it, Doolittle says. While Memphis is likely to use their modest exception, Orlando and Chicago will likely refrain.

D-League Moves: Pittman, Miller, Stone

February 13th, 2013 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

We'll keep track of today's D-League assignments and recalls right here, with any additional moves added to the top of the page:

Dexter Pittman has been recalled from the D-League by the Heat, according to a team release. Pittman averaged 9.0 PPG and 7.3 RPG in three games during his most recent stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The Nuggets have recalled Quincy Miller and Julyan Stone from their D-League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. While Miller has averaged 11.3 PPG for the Iowa Energy in 23 D-League games, Stone struggled during his stint with the club, going scoreless in his last four contests. Neither player figures to see much action with the Nuggets, but they'll provide depth for tonight's game in Brooklyn, particularly if Andre Iguodala, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and JaVale McGee remain sidelined.

Northwest Rumors: Carroll, Olshey, Pekovic

February 12th, 2013 at 7:20pm CST by Chuck Myron

There are only six games in the NBA tonight, but four of the five Northwest Division teams are in action, including a clash between the Nuggets and Jazz in a matchup that would be a first-round pairing if the playoffs began today. The division's other teams in action tonight are on the road, with the Trail Blazers facing a stiff test against the Heat while the Nuggets take on the Raptors. While we wait to see how those games turn out, here's what's happening off the court around the Northwest:

Jazz forward DeMarre Carroll will be a free agent this summer, but he feels he's found his niche in Utah, as Jared Zwerling of ESPN The Magazine details.
Blazers GM Neil Olshey sat down with broadcaster Mike Barrett for a one-on-one that's up on the team's website (video link), and Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge provides a transcript. Olshey said he coveted Nicolas Batum when he held the Clippers GM job, and revealed that owner Paul Allen never wavered in his commitment to match the offer sheet Batum signed with the Timberwolves this summer.
Rival executives tell Grantland's Zach Lowe that the Nuggets are "projecting calm" in advance of the trade deadline. The team seems fairly satisfied with its young core and doesn't want to add much or any payroll, so major moves are unlikely. That's in line with coach George Karl's recent comments indicating there's only a slight chance the team makes a deadline trade. Still, the most common prediction from executives around the league about Denver's playoff chances this year is that they'll go out in the second round.
The Wolves love Nikola Pekovic and don't want to trade him, so the smart money is on the club making a smaller move, perhaps one that includes Luke Ridnour, writes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.

Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors contributed to this post.

Karl: Only Slight Chance Nuggets Will Swing Deal

February 9th, 2013 at 1:37pm CST by Chuck Myron

Last year, the Nuggets pulled off one of the most surprising trades at the deadline, sending out Nene, whom they'd just re-signed to a five-year, $65MM contract, for a package that included JaVale McGee. In 2011, the Carmelo Anthony trade shook up the franchise at midseason. This time around, coach George Karl expects a much quieter deadline for his team, believing the odds are slim that Denver will make a trade, as Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post shares.

"It would be different if you knew there was a contract, but we’re happy with our salary structure, we’re happy with our contracts, we’re happy with our players… And we’re happy with our record," he said.

Timofey Mozgov, one of the pieces acquired in the Anthony deal two years ago, appears to be Denver's most likely trade candidate, but multiple reports have indicated the Nuggets aren't moving him unless another team wows them with their offer. Dempsey points out that Corey Brewer, like Mozgov, is on an expiring deal, but Brewer has expressed interest in re-signing with the team this summer.

Karl said he's had a single conversation about potential trades with GM Masai Ujiri, preferring to leave the job of roster construction to him. Ujiri has proven one of the craftier executives in his short time in charge of Denver's front office, having kept the Nuggets in the playoffs amid drastic change to the roster over the past two seasons. With Denver in fourth place and two games behind the slumping Clippers for third, it looks like Ujiri believes the best move now is to sit tight.

Categories:
Denver Nuggets

Stein’s Latest: Clippers, Josh Smith, Randolph

February 8th, 2013 at 11:42pm CST by Chuck Myron

Marc Stein's Weekend Dime at ESPN.com is usually full of juicy rumors year-round, and with the trade deadline less than two weeks away, this week's edition is especially jam-packed. Let's dig in:

The Clippers went fishing for Kevin Garnett, and while the Celtics seem uninterested in such a swap, Stein expects Clippers to keep looking for deals as the trade deadline draws near. L.A. might like to send out DeAndre Jordan, who's eager for more playing time and whose lack of production has frustrated coach Vinny Del Negro, but the more likely trade chip is third-year point guard Eric Bledsoe. Stein hears there's a 99.5% chance Chris Paul re-signs this summer, but if the Clippers endure an early playoff exit, Paul's future, as well as Del Negro's job, could hang in the balance.
If the Hawks trade Josh Smith, they'll be looking for "a quality young center" in return.
The Grizzlies have told Zach Randolph they won't trade him, and Memphis is unlikely to make another move involving Randolph or anyone else. Still, despite coach Lionel Hollins' insistence that he and management are on the same page, the coach's dim view of the Rudy Gay trade has cast a pall on the locker room, as Stein writes.
Reports that the Rockets have interest in Danny Granger are inaccurate, according to Stein.
Denver isn't biting on an offer for Timofey Mozgov unless the Nuggets get one that's "crazy good."
The Sixers, open to a shakeup as they wait for Andrew Bynum to make his Philadelphia debut, are shopping Evan Turner.
Samuel Dalembert was on the market even before he did his best to showcase his value with a career-best 35-point game against the Nuggets this week, and he's not the only player Milwaukee might trade. Monta Ellis and Beno Udrih are among the Bucks who could be on the move.
Boston isn't better with Rajon Rondo out for the season, but Stein believes the Celtics' six-game winning streak can be at least partially explained by the team's improved attitude without the moody Rondo around.

Nuggets Have No Plans To Trade Andre Miller

February 8th, 2013 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this afternoon, we passed along comments made this week by Andre Miller, in which the veteran point guard expressed some dissatisfaction with his role in Denver.

"I don't know how much longer they want me here. I definitely would like to contribute more," Miller said, when asked if he wanted to finish his career in Denver. "I’m not just going to sit back and settle in and be a backup and let my career just fade away. I’m competitive in that way."

Despite Miller's suggestion that the Nuggets may be looking to move him, GM Masai Ujiri insists that's not something the team is considering, according to Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.

"Andre is not going anywhere," Ujiri said. "We want to win."

Miller's agent, Andy Miller, also spoke to Hochman and said his client is committed to the Nuggets, and that all is well in Denver. While the 36-year-old might like to play a few more minutes, he hopes to continue contributing to the the team off the bench and to help the Nuggets make a deep playoff run, according to his agent.

Western Notes: Nuggets, Miller, Lakers, D12, Mavs

February 8th, 2013 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets were firing on all cylinders in last night's victory over the Bulls, putting up 128 points against one of the league's best defenses en route to their eighth straight win. But even with the team on a roll, not everything is perfect in Denver, as Paul Klee of the Colorado Springs Gazette writes (hat tip to Matt Moore of CBSSports.com). Here are the highlights from Klee's piece along with a few more notes from around the Western Conference:

Andre Miller would like to see more playing time in Denver, as he tells Klee. While he says he'd "really be complaining" if the Nuggets were losing, Miller still doesn't seem satisfied with the current arrangement. "I don't know how much longer they want me here. I definitely would like to contribute more," Miller said, when asked if he wanted to finish his career in Denver. "I’m not just going to sit back and settle in and be a backup and let my career just fade away. I’m competitive in that way."
Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post isn't convinced that offseason acquisition Andre Iguodala has been a worthwhile investment for the Nuggets.
The future of the Lakers could depend on whether Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard are committed to getting on the same page, says Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Hakeem Olajuwon, who is close with Howard and has worked with him in the past, still believes D12 will re-sign with the Lakers this summer, according to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida.
With the trade deadline approaching, the Mavericks must make another tough call and decide whether they're going to be buyers or sellers, writes Jean-Jacques Taylor of ESPNDallas.com.

Northwest Notes: Hickson, Wolves, Nuggets

February 7th, 2013 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

With the Grizzlies and Warriors not playing their best ball as of late, another team has quietly passed them in the standings and assumed the fourth seed in the Western Conference: the Nuggets. Heading into tonight's game against the Bulls, Denver has won seven straight, and has posted a 21-3 record at home. The Lakers/Celtics matchup will draw most of the headlines, but it may be that late game at the Pepsi Center that turns into the evening's best contest.

As we look forward to tonight's action, here are a few notes out of the Northwest Division:

Although he's played out of position at center for much of the season, J.J. Hickson has excelled with the Trail Blazers, and is increasing his chances of landing a big deal in unrestricted free agency this summer, according to Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. "I’d be lying if I wasn’t looking forward to it, but that’s something I’ll get more excited about when that period hits," Hickson said. "It’s something that me and my agent will talk about, but right now I’m just worried about playing basketball and trying to make these playoffs."
Commissioner David Stern is involved in Minnesota's plan to refurbish the Target Center and remains apprised on Glen Taylor's process of eventually selling the Timberwolves, as Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune writes.
In his latest mailbag for the Denver Post, Benjamin Hochman fields multiple questions on trade possibilities for the Nuggets, discussing Timofey Mozgov, Jordan Hamilton, and the team's $13MM trade exception.
Karl Malone is willing to work for free if it means getting a chance to join the Jazz's coaching staff as an assistant, says Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.