Tuesday, December 11, 2001 - Has the time come for the Denver Nuggets to say goodbye to point guard Nick Van Exel?

The question was an emotional subject Monday after the Nuggets' practice. But it had to be asked in the wake of team captain Van Exel's request to be traded.

However, guard Avery Johnson, a former team captain for the San Antonio Spurs, said there were more important things to worry about.

"We have a big homestand coming up right now and we need our best player," Johnson said. "Our best player for the time being isn't going anywhere. He owes it to the team and to this organization to play at his best level until something changes. I don't expect him to come out and go floating through the game (today). We're 7-13, and we have to get rolling. This isn't the time for anyone to go south on us."

Team captain George McCloud said: "It's a give-and-take situation. In some instances a change is necessary, but in this case I think Nick was frustrated. This team responds to turmoil. In the past we have. I don't think anything will be different because of this."

McCloud said it isn't a time to panic.

"Regardless of frustrations, you still have to play the hand that's dealt to you," McCloud said. "Everyone goes through times when you question situations in life. Only the strong people survive and make good out of bad things. You can say yes or no whether he should have made his wishes public. If we come out and respond and win some games, you can say a shakeup like this was needed."

Center Raef LaFrentz doesn't want to see Van Exel leave.

"I don't," LaFrentz said when asked if anyone on the team wanted to see Van Exel leave. "I can't think of a point guard in the league that I'd rather have the ball in his hands than Nick Van Exel. . . . When you lose games, everybody gets frustrated. This franchise has lost its fair share of games. But if you look around, we're far from a team of misfits. Everyone's just uptight."

The Nuggets and Van Exel have had their share of turmoil. Early last season, the team chose to boycott a practice in a statement to coach Dan Issel. Late in the season, Van Exel was absent without leave for a few days after the team returned from a road trip.

LaFrentz said getting the Nuggets focused on winning isn't up to just team captains.

"Our captains are the more vocal people on the team," he said. "They're the leaders. But it's not just their problem. It's everybody's problem."

Said McCloud: "Nick's frustrated, but he's not the only one who's frustrated. He's trying to do what he can to change an attitude. Maybe he's trying to put some pressure on the players to go out and win some games."