"If he's on the market next summer with the year I think he's going to have, I think he's going to be in great position," his agent, Michael Coyne, said Wednesday about his client Nene.

Coyne declined to comment on a possible contract extension for the 6-foot-11 Brazilian. The Nuggets face an Oct. 31 deadline to extend his contract or he becomes a free agent next summer.

Nene has a bargaining advantage knowing Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire and Houston's Yao Ming have agreed to extensions. That leaves Detroit's Ben Wallace and Tayshaun Prince, Sacramento's Peja Stojakovic and not much else among free-agent forwards next summer.

Then again, it could hurt Nene if he waits and has an injury- plagued season like last season.

"There's a security versus upside issue, or downside, whatever way you want to look at it," Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said. "Both sides take that risk. ... We'd like him to be here a long time, to a long-term deal."

Those around Nene said he never has looked fitter.