Denver Nuggets Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lawson, Nuggets To Discuss Extension?

May 14th, 2012 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

Ty Lawson's 2011/12 season may be over, but the point guard and his Nuggets certainly made the Lakers sweat before bowing out. In seven games against Los Angeles, Lawson averaged 19.0 PPG and 6.0 APG on 51.4% shooting.

Although Lawson won't be a free agent this summer, he has just one year remaining on his rookie contract, making him eligible for restricted free agency next summer. And it sounds like he wouldn't mind avoiding free agency by signing a long-term deal with the Nuggets. The 24-year-old tells Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post that a contract extension is "definitely a goal."

"I want to be here long-term," Lawson said. "I'm pretty sure my agent and Masai [Ujiri, the Nuggets' executive vice president of basketball operations] will talk this summer."

Lawson's camp can begin discussing an extension in July with the Nuggets and Ujiri, who calls the point guard a "big part" of the team going forward. The Nuggets could extend Lawson for up to another five years beyond 2012/13, though a four-year offer may be more likely. Teams are only permitted to sign five-year extensions for one "designated player" at a time — if Lawson received a five-year extension, Denver would be unable to sign another five-year extension for the duration of his contract.

As Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld points out, the Nuggets would send the right message by agreeing to an extension with Lawson, but it could limit the team's ability to add talent in the near future. Denver is already committed to long-term deals for Danilo Gallinari, Arron Afflalo, and Wilson Chandler, and will be attempting to re-sign JaVale McGee as well. Extending Lawson early would further reduce the club's future cap flexibility, but given his play this season, it may be worth it.

Nuggets Notes: Faried, McGee, Blake

May 13th, 2012 at 10:27pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes around the Denver Nuggets on Sunday night:

The Denver Post's Benjamin Hochman praises Kenneth Faried, touting him as one of the best value selections in last year's draft.
Hochman also notes that the Nuggets expect to bring back restricted free-agent center JaVale McGee.
Fox Sports Florida's Chris Tomasson tweets that Lakers guard Steve Blake wanted to re-sign with the Nuggets after the 2007 season. However, Denver was not willing to pay him the $4.25MM annually that Portland was. The Nuggets instead signed Chucky Atkins.

Andre Miller Will Weigh His Options

May 13th, 2012 at 11:38am CST by Daniel Seco

Headed home for the offseason after losing to the Lakers in Los Angeles on Saturday night, Nuggets point guard Andre Miller is facing uncertainty this summer with free agency looming. He spent the season as a backup to Ty Lawson, but still showed flashes of brilliance when afforded the opportunity against the Lakers. After adjusting to his new role this past season, Miller must decide what he wants to do next as he enters the twilight of his career, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post.

"I'll keep my options open," Miller said. "At this point in my career, if I'm going to be a backup, I'm going to be a backup on a championship-caliber team. Obviously, this team is a good team that's going to get to the playoffs, but the thing is if they are committed to getting to that next level to compete for that championship."

Miller, 36, averaged 9.7 PPG and 6.7 APG in a season that saw the former Utah star log the fewest minutes per game since his rookie year with the Cavs. During the first round of the playoffs against the Lakers, Miller dialed back the clock in Game 5 when he scored 24 points and notched eight assists in the team's 102-99 victory. If Miller doesn't return to the Nuggets, look for the guard to potentially sign with the Knicks, Pacers or Heat.

Money Time: Upcoming Free Agents In The Playoffs

May 12th, 2012 at 2:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

Last week we looked at some players on the cusp of free agency who were making some surprising postseason impressions, both positive and negative, on prospective employers. With the first round almost over and the conference semifinals about to begin, let's check in with some more soon-to-be free agents in the playoffs:

Winners

Reggie Evans, Clippers: Anyone who can spark a 27-point comeback in the playoffs, as he did in Game 1, deserves to be on this list, and his energy throughout the first round has been critical for the Clippers. His already superb number of rebounds per 36 minutes has jumped from 12.7 in the regular season to 13.7 in the playoffs, and, for what it's worth, has his team's best defensive rating in the playoffs, per Basketball-Reference.

Andre Miller, Nuggets: It's easy to forget about Miller sometimes, particularly since he's been coming off the bench for Denver. Yet the NBA's 10th leading assist-maker all-time reminded everyone, including the Lakers, of what he can do with a 24-point, eight assist performance full of clutch shots in Tuesday's Game 5. He's the team's third leading scorer in the postseason at 12.7 PPG, outdoing Arron Afflalo, who signed a $36.75MM deal before the season.

Jordan Hill, Lakers (restricted): He had his breakthrough in the final week of the regular season against the Thunder, and he's continued to justify coach Mike Brown's decision to use him as the primary backup to both Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol in the playoffs. He's pulling down more rebounds per game than Gasol in significantly fewer minutes, and has 25 offensive boards, more than anyone else in the postseason. Hill's rebounds-per-36-minutes number (13.4) nearly equals that of Reggie Evans.

Losers

O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies (restricted): The postseason is a terrible time to go through a shooting slump, but that's exactly what's happened with Mayo, who's hitting on just 31.4% of his field goal attempts against the Clippers. He went a combined 3-for-20 in Games 3, 4 and 5, and took only three shots in Game 6. His inability to efficiently handle the backup point guard duties — he's got 13 assists and 17 turnovers — isn't helping his cause, either.

Randy Foye, Clippers: Foye's minutes are up but his scoring is down for the playoffs, which is about as inauspicious as it gets for a free agent wing player. The culprit appears to his inability to get off shots and get to the line. His attempts in both categories are off while his postseason shooting percentage of 37.8% is not that far down from the 39.8% he shot in the regular season. His excuse may be that he's being guarded by Tony Allen, an elite defender, but Allen isn't with him on every possession. His Basketball-Reference defensive rating is the second worst on the team, so his struggles aren't limited to one end of the floor.

Jodie Meeks, Sixers (restricted): He started 50 games this season and played 24.9 minutes per contest, but barely got off the bench once he was removed from the starting five after Game 1 against Chicago. He took a total of three shots from the floor, missing each of them, in 32 minutes during the first round.

Nuggets “100%” Committed To Re-Signing McGee

May 10th, 2012 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

JaVale McGee played the best game of his young postseason career Tuesday night in Los Angeles, recording 21 points, 14 rebounds, and a pair of blocks against a tough Lakers frontcourt, sending the series back to Denver. The performance led to some speculation about the offers McGee could receive in free agency this summer, but the Nuggets don't intend to let him get away. GM Masai Ujiri told Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post that McGee is "100%" a player the team intends to lock up long-term.

"Our intent was to get JaVale for the future, not just for three months," Ujiri said, referring to the blockbuster deadline deal that brought McGee to Denver.

McGee will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer, so the Nuggets will have the opportunity to match any offer sheet the 24-year-old signs. A report earlier this season suggesting McGee would seek an average salary of $14MM was met with jokes and skepticism at the time, but the center's play since joining the Nuggets has certainly improved his stock. When I previewed McGee's free agency on Monday, I predicted an average annual salary of about $8-9MM, but that estimate may end up being light.

Northwest Rumors: J.R. Smith, Jazz, Nolan Smith

May 9th, 2012 at 8:46pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Nuggets took a major step toward joining the Thunder in the second round with a win over the Lakers last night, while the rest of the Northwest looks ahead at the offseason. Here's the latest from the division:

Former Nuggets guard J.R. Smith, who's expected to turn down his $2.5MM Knicks option for next season, has been keeping a close watch on his former team as they play in the postseason, writes Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida.
Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune says Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor is poised to make only minor moves this summer, but Smith believes the franchise is still searching for its identity.
Pete Christopher of OregonLive.com encourages the Blazers to hang on to Nolan Smith, the 21st pick in last year's draft, and go after an experienced veteran point guard to mentor him.

Free Agent Stock Watch: JaVale McGee

May 7th, 2012 at 1:06pm CST by Luke Adams

During his time with the Wizards, JaVale McGee was a walking highlight reel. Of course, for every memorable dunk or blocked shot, there was even more memorable miscue, whether it was running back on defense when his team had the ball, or blatantly goaltending a shot into the fifth row. Michael Lee of the Washington Post said it best earlier this season when he wrote that McGee has a penchant for mixing "the spectacular with the perplexing."

The deadline deal that sent McGee to Denver in a package for Nene gave the seven-footer a chance for a fresh start, and he took advantage, averaging a career-best 18.0 points per 36 minutes and .612 FG% in his 20 games with the Nuggets. His play in the postseason has been inconsistent, but he's shown flashes of brilliance, swatting away six shots in Game Two and grabbing 15 boards to go with 16 points in Game Three.

Although McGee hasn't necessarily shed the "perplexing" label he earned with the Wizards, he appears to have benefited from a change of scenery and a chance to be a contributor on a veteran squad, rather than a leader on a young lottery team. His play in Denver should earn him more interest in free agency than he would have received had he finished the season mixing highlights with lowlights in Washington.

The Nuggets figure to make a play to retain McGee this year, having parted with a quality big man in Nene to acquire him. But there's no guarantee the restricted free agent will return to Denver, if another team swoops in with an aggressive offer sheet. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reported in March that McGee will be seeking a contract worth $14MM annually this summer, and while that amount may be wildly optimistic, McGee is the type of high-upside player that could inspire a team desperate for size to make an overly aggressive offer.

Last month, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported that the Nuggets would likely match any offer of $7MM or less annually, and I could even see them going a little higher than that. But the Nuggets are very unlikely to match anything approaching the $13MM-per-year price tag they just shed by moving Nene.

Will JaVale get an offer anywhere near the amount he's reportedly seeking? Probably not. Even considering the premium price placed on NBA bigs, it's hard to imagine which team would offer McGee an annual eight-digit salary. The Cavaliers, Rockets, Bucks, and Trail Blazers are a few clubs who will be in the market for a center and should have plenty of cap space, but I wouldn't be surprised if McGee ultimately re-signed in Denver for a multiyear deal worth about $8-9MM annually.

Odds & Ends: Allen, Hawks, Anderson, Voting

May 6th, 2012 at 11:06pm CST by Chuck Myron

It was a day of odd sightings on the hardwood, as the Knicks overcame the loss of Baron Davis to a dislocated kneecap to win their first postseason contest in 11 years. A No. 1 seed lost a third straight playoff game as the Bulls fell to the 76ers. And in Denver, a woman with a history of stalking the Nuggets came onto the court during Game 4 against the Lakers, reports J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today. Here's the rest of what raised eyebrows around the Association today:

Teams interested in Celtics free agent Ray Allen this summer might not have to worry about how he'll respond to ankle surgery, since he says he may not go through with the procedure he originally thought was inevitable. Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com first tweeted the news, and Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com adds detail.
Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News believes the Hawks will deal either Josh Smith or Al Horford if the team can't rally from its 3-1 deficit to the Celtics (Twitter link). Of the two, Smith seems the easiest to trade, since 2012/13 is the last season on his contract.
Despite a subpar showing in the playoffs so far, restricted free agent Ryan Anderson figures to be near the top of this summer's market for power forwards. There's mutual admiration between Anderson and the Magic, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, who also notes the team's recent history of matching offer sheets.
The NBA released a statement acknowledging that Ernst & Young, the same accounting firm that handles the draft lottery, made an error tabulating the Most Improved Player of the Year voting, reports Chris Bernucca of SheridanHoops.com. A first-place vote meant for Andrew Bynum was mistakenly counted for Andrew Bogut. Either way, award winner Ryan Anderson comes out on top of the voting.
Fran Blinebury of NBA.com examines the divergent career paths of Spurs point guard Tony Parker and Jazz counterpart Devin Harris, more than four years after Parker expressed relief that Harris was traded away from the Mavs.

Odds & Ends: Raptors, Bulls, Magic, Frye

May 2nd, 2012 at 10:37pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Here are this evening's miscellaneous stories:

Lang Greene of HoopsWorld had his weekly chat with fans tonight. Among the more significant things he talked about were the chances that Tyreke Evans gets shopped this summer, the Nets pursuing Kevin Garnett if Deron Williams leaves, the Hornets matching any offer for Eric Gordon, and Portland being the realistic destination for Goran Dragic.
With $12MM in cap space before the draft, Bryan Colangelo talked about the Raptors' approach going into the offseason: "If there was going to be a year to make a bigger splash, whether in free agency or utilizing the space to acquire players by trade, I felt that would be better served in a subsequent season and that’s probably this summer" (Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld reports). Colangelo also told Brotherston that he and Ed Stefanski will be very active in terms of placing and entertaining calls with other GMs in the upcoming weeks and months.
Scoop Jackson, Melissa Isaacson, and Jon Greenberg of ESPN cover a few topics on the Bulls, including how Derrick Rose's injury will affect Chicago's title hopes over the next two years, whether Luol Deng should immediately get surgery and skip the Olympics, and Carlos Boozer's reliability in the playoffs.
Magic GM Otis Smith traveled to Los Angeles to check on Dwight Howard as he recuperates from surgery, according to Illiana Limón and Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. While there had been speculation that Howard is estranged from the franchise, Smith and Magic CEO Alex Martins say that he hasn't asked for a trade.
Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times provides a "to-do list" for the Nuggets if they are to have any chance at beating the Lakers.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas wonders if the Mavericks should make strategic defensive adjustments on Russell Westbrook or just hope that he starts missing mid-range jumpshots.
An article posted on Suns.com reports that Channing Frye underwent successful surgery on his right shoulder today.

Odds & Ends: Chandler, Jackson, Kidd, Cavs

May 1st, 2012 at 10:43pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Tuesday night:

The Nuggets' official website notes that Wilson Chandler is recovering successfully from his recent hip surgery. Chandler signed a five-year deal with the Nuggets in March after returning from his stint in China.
MySanAntonio.com's Buck Harvey wonders how Stephen Jackson's career would have differed had he remained with the Spurs the entire time.
The Bay Area News Group's Marcus Thompson speculates that the Warriors may look at Jason Kidd as an option at backup point guard this offseason.
Fox Sports Ohio's Sam Amico compares the Cavaliers' current roster and financial flexibility to that of the rest of the Eastern Conference lottery teams.