Thursday, December 06, 2001 - BOSTON - All the trade rumors involving the Denver Nuggets seem to have subsided.

Even so, the aftereffect of the rumors - the ones that centered on Nick Van Exel and Raef LaFrentz - remain.

"It doesn't help our team when there is a lot of stuff going around like that, particularly if there isn't any basis to it," Nuggets coach Dan Issel said Wednesday night at the FleetCenter. "All I am trying to do is protect our players and let them know we appreciate what they are doing and how they are playing."