<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Denver Nuggets and New Jersey Nets are in discussions regarding a sign-and-trade scenario involving forward Kenyon Martin. The All-Star is a restricted free agent, and ESPN.com is reporting that the Nuggets will extend Martin a maximum contract offer (six years, $80-plus million) if they cannot work out a deal with the Nets. New Jersey is attempting to pry forward Nene away from Denver in a sign-and-trade deal, but the Nuggets are likely countering with forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili. Martin received a max offer from the Hawks last Thursday but would prefer to sign with the Nets or Nuggets.</div> <div align="center">Link</div>
yeah,this is not new news. the problem is that denver does not want to give up nene and if they don't give up nene, then this won't happen. also, Nikoloz Tskitishvili is a project and we already have a project coming over in Nenad Krstic. denver is trying to steal kmart in a sign and trade and it won't happen. the only way that denver will have both nene and kmart on thier roster would be if ratner lets kmart walk, which i still dont think will happen. if denver agrees to trade nene, then the trade will happen. but for some reason denver doesnt want to trade nene. kmart > nene. i don't see the big struggle. i understand nene has potential and is cheaper to keep,but if you really want kenyon then you have to give something up. that's what happens in trades but kiki is hesitating and if denver doesnt make up thier minds in the next 48hrs, then they could get thier money tied up for 15days (assuming kmart signs thier offer sheet) and that could ruin thier fa search and if the nets do match on the 15th day or close to that,then denver just wasted 15days when they could have been pursuing someone else to help thier ballclub. hopefully denver wants to keep nene and wont trade him because that will make the nets have to resign kmart and put more pressure on ratner to resign kenyon or he will look extremely bad. if nene is not tradeable, i expect kenyon to return to the nets. btw,denver doesnt really need kmart that bad. they have a good core and nene is growing. so it is not like they are in need of a pf b/c they do have one. so i can see denver just making kenyon and offer and not a s&t and just take thier chances. denver really can't lose in this situation. they get kmart/lose nene,keep nene/dont get kmart,get kmart(via ratner lets him walk) and keep nene.
I'll tell you why Denver wants to keep Nene: Marcus Camby. Camby is a very good player, but he just can't keep healthy. Last season was a career season in games played but who knows how long before he hurts himself again and ends up on the injured list. Nene would more than sufficiently replace Camby. Infact, Nene might even play more minutes than Camby as a 6th man. He'd probably still get 30+ minutes since Camby's minutes are limited to around 25. Also in the west you need to be front court heavy to challenge Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Cwebb/BMiller and such. The more talented good forwards you have, better your chances are. Just ask yourself, would you rather have Nene and Kmart or Kmart and Skita? Choice is simple.
Denver's trying to pull off a smart one by offering guys other than Nene. Word has it that Nene and Melo are untouchables. They're basically offering first round picks and some fillers for KMart. They're trying to force the Nets to take a bad trade rather than losing KMart with nothing in return.
Its a very smart move. You can blame Shaq for all that since that orlando thing nobody wants to lose any of their star players without some compensation.
On a positive note, Denver's trying to do a sign and trade. It means that they're holding back on making an offer to KMart for fear of being locked up for 15 days and not having the chance to make a run for Kobe.
