worth $10.4 million Rookie scores 12 in first game as pro By Marc J. Spears, Denver Post Sports Writer LONG BEACH, Calif. - The Carmelo Anthony era officially arrived for the Nuggets on Thursday when he signed a contract and played in his first professional game. Anthony signed a three-year, guaranteed deal worth $10.4 million with options for two more seasons, then immediately became eligible to take part in the Nuggets' summer-league action Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The former Syracuse forward postponed by one day signing a contract to temporarily give the Nuggets $538,200 in salary cap room. As it turned out, the Nuggets did not need it. "I don't have to worry about the contract," Anthony said. "I can just go out there and play now." Anthony missed the first three games of the Summer Pro League at The Pyramid. Anthony, 19, can play in six more games with the Nuggets at the Rocky Mountain Revue in Salt Lake City from Saturday through July 26. "I think I'm ready to play," Anthony said before the game. "I think I'll be a little bit winded since I haven't practiced full speed the last two or three days. Overall, I think I'll be ready for it. "I get to see how quick the game is. It might be summer league, but you can learn a lot. (From watching), I learned that you have to be patient out there. Everybody is on your level or higher." During the Rocky Mountain Revue, the Nuggets will be coached by assistant T.R. Dunn. Nuggets center Nene, who joined the team Thursday but did not play, will play in Salt Lake City. Dunn said he plans to give Anthony a lot of court time. "We want to use him as much as possible," Dunn said. "He's going to have an opportunity to get a lot of minutes, learn the pro game and develop as a player in this league. He's a talented kid. He's going to be able to do some things, but he's a young player, and there are a lot of things he's going to have to learn and he will learn." After the Rocky Mountain Revue, Anthony plans to go back to his hometown of Baltimore before returning to Denver on Aug. 12. Anthony, whom the Nuggets selected with the No. 3 pick in last month's draft, averaged 22.2 points and 10 rebounds as a freshman at Syracuse last season and led his team to the NCAA Division I title.
