Nuggets' Coach George Karl has hinted that he would like Allen Iverson to pass more this season.

"I think you can put A.I. and (Carmelo Anthony) both in that category," Karl said. "It's about our efficiency and effectiveness on the offensive end, and their effectiveness isn't determined by how many points they score, but by how many good plays they put into the game."

Since he joined the team, Denver is 23-4 when Iverson has more than ten assists.

With two years remaining on his contract, Nuggets' Coach George Karl made it clear on Monday that he'd like to continue beyond his current deal, the Denver Post is reporting.

"I still think I have a love and passion for coaching, and I'm still good at it," Karl said. "I've said every year the window of getting out of it has gotten a little bigger, but the juice of staying in it is still two-to-one over getting out of it. So, personally, I think there's three things I'd like to do. I'd like to win a championship, I'd like to stay in Denver to do it, and I'd like to coach my son someday."

Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony believes that the team can win sixty games this season.

"We?ve got a chance to win 50 to 60 (games)," Anthony said. "We?ve got a chance to be one of the best teams in the NBA."

Denver was 50-32 last season, good enough for eighth place in the Western Conference.

"Sixty games," Kenyon Martin added. "We won 50 games last year and came in eighth place (in the West). It will take 60 to be in the top three. So, I think so."

Free agent guard Mateen Cleaves will reportedly sign with the Denver Nuggets as the team looks to fill the void momentarily left by the injury to Chucky Atkins.

Danny Servick, the agent for Cleaves, confirmed reports on Friday that his client will sign before training camp, which begins Tuesday for Denver.

Atkins is expected to miss six weeks.

Nuggets' guard Allen Iverson realizes that the team could trade him in an effort to save money this season, according to Rocky Mountain News.

"It's a possibility," Iverson said Wednesday. "We'll just see what happens. I wouldn't be upset either way because it's a business. . . . The one thing about a trade is when somebody trades for you, they want you. That's what you want as an athlete."

Iverson is the team's highest-paid player at $20.84 million and is entering the final year of his contract.

His contract status only increases the likelihood that Denver could deal him as they don't want to risk losing him for nothing next summer.

"My agent (Leon Rose) and my manager (Gary Moore), they let me know (being traded is) a possibility," Iverson said. "But that's not something that I concern myself with. I go out and play as hard as I can and whatever happens, happens."

Nuggets' guard Chucky Atkins underwent surgery on a torn meniscus today, six days before training camp begins, the Denver Post is reporting.

As a result, Coach George Karl says he's not expecting to see the guard until the season starts.

"I don't think he'll get any training camp in," Karl said.

The team said Atkins starting having pain about two weeks ago playing in pickup games. Surgery was decided after an MRI was taken Monday.

"I feel bad for Chucky," Karl said. "Some of our guys went down and visited him in Orlando about two or three weeks ago and said he was in great shape, and playing great, and was doing more work and conditioning than he's ever done before."

The Nuggets signed guard Sonny Weems on Monday, as reported by the Associated Press.

Terms were not disclosed.

The Bulls selected Weems out of Arkansas in the second round of the 2008 NBA draft. He was traded to Denver for a 2009 second-round draft pick.

Nuggets' big man Nene was very upset when the team traded Marcus Camby to the Clippers in July, according to Denver Post.

"I'm gonna be honest, I was very angry during that time," he said. "First of all, he's like my brother. He helped me a lot."

The Nuggets are relying on Nene to be their center of the present and the future. In Denver there is a belief that Nene is an all-star talent if he can stay healthy and refine his game.

The Nuggets will enter the 2008-09 season with a payroll of roughly $77 million thanks to the large contracts of Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, and Kenyon Martin, according to Rocky Mountain News.

At the start of the offseason it appeared as though Denver might have a payroll of $86 million, but trading Marcus Camby to the Clippers allowed them to reduce that number slightly.

They will have to pay $6.3 million in luxury tax because they are over the $71.15 million threshold and could look to further reduce their payroll this season.

Iverson, who will be paid $20.84 million, will be a free agent next summer. That means the Nuggets could deal Iverson at the deadline, sign-and-trade him next summer, or simply allow him to walk away next offseason.

Rookie Sonny Weems said Friday that he expects to sign his first NBA contract with the Nuggets very soon, according to Rocky Mountain News.

"It should be done this weekend. I?m flying to Texas today to meet with my agent," said Weems.

The second-round pick?s deal for next season is expected to be for the rookie minimum of $442,114.