March 2013 Denver Nuggets Wiretap

Iguodala Likely To Opt Out Of Contract With Nuggets

Mar 30, 2013 11:25 PM

Andre Iguodala is likely to exercise the opt-out clause in his contact after this season.

Opting out would enable Iguodala to obtain a multi-year deal elsewhere or possibly lengthen his commitment to the Nuggets.

“You got to weigh options,” Iguodala said. “Security-wise, a player would opt, especially with the type of season we’ve had as a team. Teams know what I can bring to them, and I know (the Nuggets) know what I can bring to a team here.
 
“Players get like $50, $60 or $70 or $80 (million over multiple years), whatever the number was, they gave up a big number (in an option season by opting out). But in the grand scheme of things, pretty much get it back. You got security.’’

Iguodala declined to guarantee he would re-sign with Denver.

“Obviously, it’s a business, so you’re going to look at your options,” Iguodala said. “Here we have some good (prospects). But I’m not making any promises.”

Chris Tomasson/FOXSportsFlorida

Tags: Andre Iguodala, Denver Nuggets, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Gallinari Warned For Violating Anti-Flopping Policy

Mar 29, 2013 5:35 PM

The NBA has issued a warning to Denver Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari for violating the league's anti-flopping policy.

Gallinari flopped severely as Robin Lopez drove to the basket in Monday's Denver-New Orleans Hornets game.

 

Mike Foss/USA Today

Tags: Danilo Gallinari, Denver Nuggets, NBA, NBA Fines

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Ty Lawson Out With Torn Plantar Fascia

Mar 29, 2013 4:16 PM

Ty Lawson is out with a plantar fascia tear in his right heel and will not have to undergo surgery, the Denver Nuggets announced on Friday.

Lawson suffered the injury on March 19 against the Oklahoma City Thunder and missed three of the Nuggets' next four games. Further exams on Thursday revealed a tear.

The Nuggets call Lawson day-to-day.

Lawson, who leads the Nuggets in scoring and assists, is improving in his recovery and will maintain his current treatment.

RealGM Staff Report

Tags: Ty Lawson, Denver Nuggets, NBA, NBA Injury

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Karl Endorses Popovich As Next Coach Of Team USA

Mar 28, 2013 11:45 AM

George Karl offered an endorsement of Gregg Popovich as the next coach of Team USA.

"I hope he gets the USA job," Karl said. "I think he wants it. He's a military guy who, I think, brings a dignity to representing the United States, and he's also earned the respect of the basketball world."

Popovich has led the Spurs to fourteen straight 50-win seasons and has a .605 winning percentage in the playoffs.

"I think the one thing I respect about him is he puts as many quality possessions on the court, in the course of 82 games, as any coach in the NBA," said Karl, who is sixth all time with 1,123 wins. "He builds a team system that magnifies team but also magnifies stars, which is sometimes a lot more difficult to do than fans think it is. Incorporating the talent of your star into the team. I'm not sure in San Antonio if everybody is happy, but everybody seems to be."

Benjamin Hochman/Denver Post

Tags: Denver Nuggets, San Antonio Spurs, NBA, National

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Brewer Hopes Nuggets Attempt To Re-Sign Him

Mar 27, 2013 12:02 PM

Corey Brewer hopes the Denver Nuggets make an attempt to re-sign him in the offseason.

Brewer will be an unrestricted free agent at season's end.

"You never know, but I like it here," Brewer said of his future. "Hopefully they want to keep me."

Brewer is averaging a career-best 11.8 points per game this season.

Benjamin Hochman/Denver Post

Tags: Corey Brewer, Denver Nuggets, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

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Iguodala Doesn't Regret Time With 76ers

Mar 22, 2013 10:41 AM

Andre Iguodala played against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday night and stated he still maintains contact with several former teammates.

Iguodala was traded to the Denver Nuggets last offseason, but he said Thursday that he has no regrets about his time with the 76ers.

"I try to look forward," Iguodala said. "I don't live with regrets. I still talk to the guys in Philly. But we talk mostly about things outside of basketball. I talk to Jrue [Holiday] about getting married. . . . And I talk with Evan [Turner] a lot. "

John Mitchell/Philadelphia Inquirer

Tags: Andre Iguodala, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA

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Wilson Chandler To Miss 3-4 Games With Shoulder Injury

Mar 22, 2013 12:05 AM

Wilson Chandler will sit out the Denver Nuggets' next three to four games and is most likely to return on March 27 in San Antonio.

After an injury-plagued start to the season, Chandler has established himself as a critical part of the Nuggets' offensive attack, averaging 11 points and five rebounds overall.

Chandler is averaging 15.5 points on 55 percent shooting in March, highlighted by a 35-point performance against the Chicago Bulls on Monday.

Benjamin Hochman/Denver Post

Tags: Wilson Chandler, Denver Nuggets, NBA, NBA Injury

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Karl Surprised At How Quickly Nuggets Rebuilt After Carmelo Trade

Mar 21, 2013 10:46 AM

George Karl has been surprised at the speed at which the Denver Nuggets have rebuilt after the Carmelo Anthony trade.

The Nuggets have won 13 straight games and are in a virtual tie with the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Clippers for the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference.

“I definitely think that the speed that we've built ourselves back into being a contender in the Western Conference has surprised me,” Karl said. “We have one player on the team that played with Melo. The Melo trade was, what, two years ago in February? And you have to remember that one of those years was a lockout year. So probably the team has only played together less than 100 games.

“The team has evolved. It's worked hard. It has stayed focused … My team even last year always thought they could play with the big boys. Now that they have the consistency to play an 82-game season together and show that they're good enough, that's what we're doing this year.”

The Nuggets hope to start the playoffs at home, where they own the best record in the NBA along with the Miami Heat at 30-3.

“I think the whole season was to get home court … I just want to be realistic,” Karl said. “If it comes the last 10 games of the season, that's a possibility, then that's cool. But right now, we're going to stay focused on the cliché of taking one game at a time, and also realizing that the home court is reachable and we don't have total control.

“We don't play Memphis or the Clippers anymore. All we've got to do is put a big number up (wins-wise), and if they catch it or beat it — if it's a high number in the mid-50s, then we've got to shake their hands and say congratulations and still be ready to play in the playoffs. But home court is something that, being a young team and having that in our back pocket (would be big). Most series, everybody wins on each other's home court. But to win twice here would be — not many people have that much of a chance.”

Sam Amick/USA TODAY

Tags: Denver Nuggets, NBA

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Carmelo Expects Denver Return To Be More Strange Than Emotional

Mar 13, 2013 12:12 AM

Carmelo Anthony will make his first return to the Pepsi Center as an opposing player on Wednesday when the New York Knicks play the Denver Nuggets.

Anthony was traded to the Knicks in February of 2011.

Anthony was likely to leave the Nuggets that offseason as a free agent and he anticipated that the franchise was going to rebuild.

"People didn't really know the business side of the situation we were in," Anthony said. "Everybody's contract was up. They had plans of going younger. People from the outside looking in didn't really get it."

Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, Marcus Camby and possibly Chauncey Billups were all scheduled to be free agents that offseason as well.

Anthony anticipates the return to be more strange than emotional.

"I think it will be crazy sitting on the other bench, sitting on the other side of the court, being in the visitors' locker room. But as far as being emotional, I don't think so."

Marc J. Spears/Yahoo! Sports

Tags: Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets, New York Knicks, NBA

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Lawson: Nuggets' Success Would Be Same With Anthony

Mar 10, 2013 9:19 PM

In Ty Lawson's mind, the Denver Nuggets -- currently 42-22 -- would not be much different if Carmelo Anthony were still with the team and decided to be a Nugget for life.

"I think it would be the same," Lawson said. "Melo actually is playing better in New York."

Even so, the Nuggets' roster has been shaped mostly through the trade of Anthony two seasons ago. And Lawson admits there are now more weapons across the roster.

"We've gotten better on defense, but I think we'd still be the exact same at where we are," Lawson said. "Melo brought the scoring aspect, but I think we'd be the same. ... I think we're a little more dangerous. You don't know where our scoring is coming from. With Melo, everybody had their focus on him. With us, JaVale might step up. Gallo, Iguodala, we've got weapons all over the place."

Benjamin Hochman/Denver Post

Tags: Ty Lawson, Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets, NBA, NBA B-Ball IQ

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Ellis, Lawson Named Players Of The Week

RealGM Staff Report

Karl Irked By World Peace's Scarring Hit On Faried

Ben Bolch/Los Angeles Times