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Wilson Chandler Hopes To Sign Within Week

February 21st, 2012 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

Wilson Chandler was in attendance last night to see Martell Webster make a questionable decision that ultimately allowed the Nuggets to escape with a 103-101 win over the Timberwolves. While Chandler was a spectator for Monday's game, he intends to be on the court for the Nuggets soon, telling Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com that he hopes to sign with Denver "in the next week or so."

Chandler, who returned from China this week, has yet to be cleared by FIBA to sign with an NBA team, but doesn't expect his clearance to be an issue. The more pressing question is whether Chandler will sign for the rest of the season with the Nuggets, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, or work out a long-term deal. According to Ken Berger of CBS Sports (via Twitter), Chandler's agent is currently negotiating a multiyear contract for his client.

The addition of Chandler would be a boost for a Nuggets team that has been slowed by injuries recently. Despite the absence of key contributors like Nene Hilario and Danilo Gallinari, GM Masai Ujiri told J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today that the team isn't looking to make any major roster moves.

"We knew going into the season that a compressed season would have this effect, regardless of injury," Ujiri said. "Guys are tired… so we knew we were going to hit a couple rough patches. Most teams know that…. We're going to be patient with our guys."

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Trade Candidate: Chris Andersen

February 20th, 2012 at 2:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Chris Andersen is recognized by casual NBA fans for a number of reasons — his hair, his tattoos, his "Birdman" moniker, and a memorably laborious performance in the Slam Dunk Contest. In the last week though, Andersen's play on the court for the Nuggets has demanded recognition in its own right.

A beneficiary of increased playing time due to Denver's injury woes, Andersen has averaged 10.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in just over 24 minutes over the team's last four games. While the 6'10" forward's solid recent play, which includes a .615 FG%, has helped a Nuggets team playing without Nene Hilario and Danilo Gallinari, it could also serve as a showcase for a potential trade.

ESPN.com's Marc Stein reported on Friday that the Nuggets have made Andersen available, and are willing to move him in the right deal. Considering the 33-year-old still has two additional seasons and $9.3MM+ remaining on his contract, the stance is hardly surprising. His recent surge aside, Andersen has received limited playing time and produced limited numbers throughout his career. Although he can be a valuable role player off the bench, Andersen will be approaching age 36 by the time his current deal ends. For a team conscious of its cap room and future flexibility, adding Andersen's contract probably isn't prudent.

From the Nuggets' perspective, clearing Andersen's contract would give them a little financial breathing room going forward. Hilario, Gallinari, and Arron Afflalo are all on long-term deals, while players like Rudy Fernandez and Ty Lawson will become more expensive within a couple seasons if Denver hopes to retain them. Throw in the fact that Wilson Chandler is currently seeking a long-term deal with the Nuggets, and it's clear the team wouldn't have to blown away to move Andersen and his contract.

I don't see an obvious match for Andersen. Teams with trade exceptions that could absorb Andersen's salary — the Lakers, Mavericks, and Magic — have more glaring needs, while many contenders who could use frontcourt reinforcements, such as the Heat, Thunder, Hawks, and 76ers, don't seem to be a fit based on salary and tax restraints.

The Nuggets may have made Andersen available, but I just don't think a deal happens by March 15th. Perhaps a team desperate for frontcourt size and depth sends Denver a second-round pick and takes on Andersen's contract, but I'm betting the Birdman will take flight in Denver for at least a few more months.

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Wilson Chandler Meeting With Nuggets

February 20th, 2012 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

After spending the season in China, Wilson Chandler is back in America and will meet with the Nuggets today in Denver, according to Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (via Twitter). Chandler will be exploring a long-term or rest-of-season contract with the team.

While Chandler's Chinese team will be playing in the CBA postseason later this week, Chandler seems to have been allowed to come home early, as we heard on Friday. It's not clear yet whether the 24-year-old has been granted a FIBA letter of clearance, but as soon as he's cleared, he'll be eligible for restricted NBA free agency.

Teams are not allowed to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets as of March 1st, so it appears Chandler should have a small window available to entertain offers from teams besides Denver. Reports so far though indicate that he intends to re-sign with the Nuggets, who could match any offer made by another club.

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Assessing Stocks: Denver Nuggets

February 19th, 2012 at 6:05pm CST by Jesse Blanchard

Portfolio Review: Where you value the Denver Nuggets assets and roster depends on how much value you place in superstars. On paper, the Nuggets are stocked two deep at every position and feature almost every desirable skill set a coach could want to plug into any given situation.

In Ty Lawson and Nene Hilario, the Nuggets have two offensive threats to occupy multiple defenders and a number of other players on the wings who can create off of their primary action. They have solid defenders and energetic athleticism. And yet, head coach George Karl is faced with the lingering question, “can you win without superstars?”

“There are only two or three superstars in the league anyways,” Karl said early in the season.

There is some truth to that. On any given night the Nuggets have everything Karl needs at his disposal to compete with the best teams in the NBA. The depth and versatility of the roster can in fact replicate most of the value of an elite player.

The issue is consistency and health. Over the course of a season there will be injuries (like the one Danilo Gallinari suffered) and inconsistent play, and the value of an elite player like LeBron James or Dwight Howard, is they have the ability to patch holes for stretches of time. Those players bring the same level of play every night and are able to take on more without losing efficiency. 

Prime Assets: The Nuggets are in an interesting position. Because each player is above average to good, virtually everyone on the team is in play for the right price. And because their depth, the Nuggets have the luxury of upgrading talent at any position by combining multiple players without a drastic drop in quality. 

Even in the era of point guards, possessing two starting quality point guards would seem superfluous. Andre Miller on his own would probably fetch a rotation player, but the Nuggets already have their fair share of those. Intrigue picks up, however, if the Nuggets were able to combine Miller with another starting quality player, a young prospect, and draft pick. 

Worthless Stock: Ty Lawson. But only because the return on him would likely never exceed the value of his contract or the value of the player. So perhaps the word here shouldn’t be worthless, but priceless. 

The Rest: The rest of the roster is simply intriguing filler to place a bigger trade. The Nuggets do not need to build around the fringes. Improvement will either come from within, or converting multiple assets into a blockbuster deal. 

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Stein On Kaman, Andersen, Jennings, Smith

February 17th, 2012 at 4:17pm CST by Luke Adams

In this week's installment of his Weekend Dime, ESPN.com's Marc Stein names his picks for the NBA's first-half awards. LeBron James and Chris Paul highlight the list as the East and West MVPs, respectively, while Jeremy Lin makes an appearance as the league's Most Improved Player.

After making his choices for the pre-All-Star awards, Stein also shares a few notes on the trade market, so let's round up the highlights:

  • Chris Kaman is a "near lock" to be dealt by March 15th. This isn't good news for the Heat, who were hoping to pursue Kaman if the Hornets bought out his contract after the trade deadline, but it's not a surprise — Kaman has some value and it sounds like there are teams with interest.
  • Chris Andersen has received increased minutes lately with Nene Hilario and Timofey Mozgov out of action, but the Nuggets are open to dealing the Birdman. Any potential trade partner would have to take on the two years and $9MM+ that will still remain on Andersen's contract after this season.
  • Brandon Jennings' comments last week about eventually exploring his free agent options haven't altered the Bucks' perception of him as a franchise cornerstone. According to Stein, Jennings' comments "struck many observers as an ill-conceived frustration rant" after the Bucks guard wasn't named to the Eastern All-Stars.
  • While J.R. Smith will receive the full amount the Knicks have left on their mini mid-level exception (approximately $2.38MM), his 2011/12 NBA earnings will only work out to about $1.92MM due to the lockout pro-ration.
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Odds & Ends: Nuggets, Suns, Jazz, Bulls

February 17th, 2012 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

While we wait for official word on the Knicks' pending roster moves, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the NBA:

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Wilson Chandler To Return Early From China

February 17th, 2012 at 8:20am CST by Luke Adams

Wilson Chandler recently helped his CBA team, the Zhejiang Lions, clinch a playoff spot, but it doesn't appear he'll be around for the team's postseason run. According to ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Chandler is scheduled to return to America as early as next week, even though the CBA playoffs don't get underway until Wednesday.

Chandler, like other players who signed in China during the lockout, was expected to honor his contract and play until his CBA team finished its season. However, Stein hears that the DePaul product may have essentially been granted permission to miss the playoffs if he helped the Lions get there.

Even if Chandler returns next week, he'll still need to be granted a FIBA letter of clearance before he can officially sign with an NBA team. It's unclear whether the CBA would be willing to grant Chandler clearance before the Lions' season ends, though sources tell Stein the league may be more inclined to do so if the 24-year-old plays in the CBA's All-Star Game this weekend.

Chandler, who will be a restricted free agent upon returning, is reportedly weighing whether to sign with the Nuggets long-term or sign for the rest of the season and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. While we've heard before of Chandler's intentions to re-sign with the Nuggets one way or the other, that decision could become more complicated if he's cleared to return to the NBA by the end of the month. Since teams aren't permitted to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets after March 1st, it appeared Denver would be Chandler's only option, but returning early could open up a few more opportunities for him.

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Trade Exceptions Due To Expire Next Week

February 14th, 2012 at 1:10pm CST by Luke Adams

In certain NBA trade scenarios, a team can acquire a traded player exception, which is worth a specific amount of money and can be used at any time over the next year. These trade exceptions allow teams to acquire one or more players without sending any salary back. However, if a team has obtained multiple trade exceptions, it can't combine them to acquire a more expensive player.

For more details on how trade exceptions can be obtained, check out our glossary of salary cap exceptions and Larry Coon's CBA FAQ, but here's a practical example:

When the Mavericks worked out a sign-and-trade deal to send Tyson Chandler to the Knicks prior to the season, the Mavs acquired a traded player exception worth about $13.11MM — Chandler's 2011/12 cap figure. The Mavs used most of that exception to absorb Lamar Odom's salary in a trade with the Lakers, who in turn received a trade exception worth Odom's $8.9MM cap figure. Now, the Mavs have about $4.21MM of their exception remaining, while the Lakers have yet to use their $8.9MM exception.

A number of trade exceptions were obtained leading up to last season's February 24th trade deadline, and are set to expire within the next ten days. Teams aren't obligated to use their exceptions — the amounts of some exceptions aren't substantial enough to be useful, and most will simply expire quietly. But they're worth keeping an eye on over the next week and a half.

Here's the complete list of trade exceptions due to expire by next Friday:

Feb. 22nd

Feb. 23rd

Feb. 24th

Storytellers Contracts was used in the creation of this list.

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Northwest Notes: Afflalo, Blazers, Timberwolves

February 13th, 2012 at 10:06pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Nuggets re-signed Arron Afflalo to a five-year, $43MM deal six days before the season began, and have since watched him lose a point off his scoring average (11.6 PPG this year) and turn the ball over a career-high 1.3 times a night. He's had a pair of his best performances of the season the last two times he stepped on the floor, lending credence to the idea that his unsettled contract situation and resulting lack of preparation time led to his poor early-season play, says Aaron J. Lopez of NBA.com.

Here's more from the Northwest Division:

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Odds & Ends: Nowitzki, 76ers, Hornets, Nuggets

February 12th, 2012 at 11:14am CST by Daniel Seco

With three of the top five trending New York Times stories involving Knicks guard Jeremy Lin (via tweet from NYT reporter Michael Luo), let's take a look around the rest of the league to see what else is happening. 

  • Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News says Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki has responded to Charles Barkley's proclamation that the 11-time All-Star is in decline with a strong showing of vintage Dirk in recent play. Sherrington contends the 14-year veteran still has enough talent and drive left to challenge Jerry West's record of 14 consecutive All-Star nomations. Simply put, Nowitzki's slow start should be attributed to a long offseason rather than diminished skills.
  • The 76ers need to make a trade if they want to compete for a championship this season, writes Mike Missanelli of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Missanelli points to the erratic nature of the 2011/2012 season as a reason why the road to the NBA championship remains wide open just two weeks before the start of the 2012 All-Star Game. Paul Pierce and Monta Ellis are mentioned as two possible pieces that could take a young, balanced 76ers roster to the next level without having to sacrifice the future.
  • The departure of All-Star point guard Chris Paul via trade has led to a difficult path for Hornets head coach Monty Williams, says John Reid of The Times-Picayune. After losing Eric Gordon, the centerpiece of the Paul trade, to injury in early January, the Hornets have spiralled to the worst record (4-23) in the Western Conference. As such, Williams has turned to his peers around the NBA for wisdom including Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
  • Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post examines how the Nuggets can get by without having a true closer to win games for the team like the Lakers closer Kobe Bryant. Barring a trade, the Nuggets will have to continue to rely on Al Harrington toward the end of the game. Harrington is shooting 56% when there are less than five minutes to play in games separated by five points or less.
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