The Nuggets rush off to the NBA's free-agent market with $23 million to spend. Now that's some serious cash. But this league is full of losers with more dollars than sense. After inspecting the goods, if he is smart, Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe will keep most of his money in his pocket. While the Nuggets went from hopelessness to the playoffs within 12 months, what Vandeweghe must do now is trickier. To put together a contender built to last will require patience and restraint. Denver can afford to sign an all-star, but probably not the one you're dreaming about. For the right price, the best free-agent investment for the Nuggets is Steve Nash, a 30-year-old guard who can push the pace on the fast break and hit a 3-point jumper. No other marquee free agent makes any sense for Denver. The temptation for Vandeweghe will be to blow a bundle on a single player. But just because you offer somebody a salary of $15 million does not make him a superstar. If Detroit demonstrated anything by beating the filthy rich Los Angeles Lakers for the championship, it is the Finals are not a best-of-seven series in liar's poker. Scan the list of players who will become free agents this week, and there appears only one worthy of $15 million. Prediction: By the time the snow flies in the mountains and the jumpers again rain in the NBA, Kobe Bryant will either be behind bars or in the Lakers' backcourt. It's simple. L.A. cannot afford to lose Bryant, what with center Shaquille O'Neal wanting out. Denver, Phoenix or the Clippers would be crazy to bid on Bryant, when the uniform he might be wearing on opening night is prison orange. While Bryant can lead a team to a championship, cross him off the list. So where does that leave the Nuggets? Kenyon Martin, a restricted free agent, has expressed genuine fondness for Vandeweghe. The 6-foot-9 New Jersey forward likes the sound of a six-year, $90 million contract even better. Which is precisely why it would be dumb for Denver to show Martin the money. Anybody who cannot understand why does not fully grasp the nuances of free agency. Martin played in his first All-Star Game at age 26, his fourth year in the league. A superstar does not politely wait his turn to receive an invitation to mingle with the game's elite. He bangs down the door. Bryant, capable of leading the NBA in scoring, is a $15 million player. Martin, who has averaged a nice 15 points and eight rebounds for his career, is not a $15 million player. If Vandeweghe really wanted to break the bank for Martin, the Nuggets never would have traded Antonio McDyess, a stronger power forward back in the day, when he was healthy. To be an effective team in the half-court offense, Denver needs a presence in the post. Martin ain't it. This team already has too many forwards, especially since Vandeweghe seems committed to re-signing Marcus Camby. If the Nuggets want to fill their void in the middle, they will be far wiser to explore a trade involving Nene for Chicago's Eddy Curry, a 21-year-old center who last season averaged 15 points and six rebounds. What the Nuggets really need is somebody who can run the break and hit shots from the perimeter. That is what Nash does best. He is an unrestricted free agent. He is where Denver's shopping should begin. Nash is a career 41.6 percent shooter from 3-point range. He moves the ball better than Nuggets point guard Andre Miller. With a little imagination, it is possible to envision Nash and Miller starting in the same backcourt. This is precisely the creative thinking Vandeweghe applied when he tried but ultimately failed to sign Miller and Gilbert Arenas in the summer of 2003. While Nash does have some mileage on his odometer, his salary in Dallas last season was $5.75 million, reasonable by the NBA's crazy standards. The Mavericks have offended Nash by using him as trade bait for O'Neal. From his time as a Dallas executive, Vandeweghe knows what Nash can do. If Denver can acquire Nash for less than $10 million a year, it would be a bargain. Nobody will give Denver a prize for spending the most bucks in free agency. Vandeweghe can only make the Nuggets a big winner by being a smart shopper.
Prediction. Nash signs with Dallas for $12.5M per year for three years. That's about right for a player who is at the top of the second tier of point guards in this league. The first tier is occupied by Jason Kidd alone.
Nash wants to play in Dallas... if he does go anywhere else it could only be in a trade deal involving Shaq in my opinion... ... and is it just me or is Andre Miller a capable starting pg? He played well last year, so why not keep him on, I think the Nuggests should focus moreso on a forward, one who is injury free, unlike Marcus Camby. why not go after Eric Dampier, he could do wonders for that team. :thumbsup:
I really think the nuggets should go after Martin. He's gonna really be great in 2 years. They don't need a point gaurd and if they get K-Mart they could trade NENE for a reasonable SG! They only need a shooter, cause Anthony can slash to the hoop. What about Aaron Mckie and another sixer. or DEsmond Mason.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Primetime:</div><div class="quote_post">Nash wants to play in Dallas... if he does go anywhere else it could only be in a trade deal involving Shaq in my opinion... ... and is it just me or is Andre Miller a capable starting pg? He played well last year, so why not keep him on, I think the Nuggests should focus moreso on a forward, one who is injury free, unlike Marcus Camby. why not go after Eric Dampier, he could do wonders for that team. :thumbsup:</div> good call with Dampier, he'd fit nicely onto the Nuggs roster and God knows they've got the cash.
The Nuggets already have Miller and Boykins and have invested a lot into these two. It doesnt make sense to invest a lot of money into Nash
Actually I think Nash suits up elsewhere next season...I see Dallas getting Shaq, sonehow, someway...I think Martin will be elsewhere too because NJ cant be stupid and trade Kidd, hes the heart of that team...I also think Kobe stays now that Phil and Shaq will leave...
I doubt the Nuggets will sign Nash. They selected Jameer with the 20th pick and traded him. Why? Because they already had a above average tru PG in Andre Miller, and a great backup PG, Earl Boykins. If they signed Nash, they would have 3 PG contracts on the book for well over 70 Million. Personally, if they are trying to get Nash, it would be extremely dumb. What happens to Miller? A Backup? Not in this league. They invited Q and Miles to Denver as well as Ginoboli, who was or still is in Argentina. They're going to resign Camby for around 8 Million. I'm hoping they sign Q-Rich, and resign Camby. Then after that is done, they sign Manu for 6 Million at the most; anything over that, is overpaying him. Nuggets are considered the front runner for K-Mart. The Nets don't want to match a 6 year 82 Million dollar contract, because they'll lose RJ the next offseason. The Nuggets don't wanna do a sign and trade with Nene and Martin, because they can just get him without losing anything because of the lack of flexibility by the Nets.
Thats crazy Nene for Mason. Mason is part of the Bucks future right now. I for one would be shocked if they made that trade!
Have you guys forgot the 2 PG system? where u can have two point guards on the floor at the same time? Like what the bucks did with Payton/Cassell? It's possible for the Nuggets to do that with Dre/Nash K-Mart to the Nuggets would be a great addition for them, but how much are you willing to pay him? I personally think the Nuggets should go get Q Rich, K Mart, and possibly another veteran player
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mcgrdmagic:</div><div class="quote_post">u dumbass nash is a sun</div> and so is qrich..nuggets aint getting sh*t
