Denver Nuggets Blog – Page 21 – NBA Blog

Nuggets waive J.J. Hickson and Steve Novak

The Denver Nuggets have waived forwards J.J. Hickson and Steve Novak, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Hickson, 27, appeared in 162 games (69 starts) for Denver over the past three seasons, averaging 9.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 22.1 minutes per game. The eight-year NBA veteran has played in 519 career games (307 starts) for Cleveland, Portland, Sacramento and Denver, averaging 6.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in 22.7 minutes. He was drafted by Cleveland out of North Carolina State University with the 19th overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft. He joined Denver as a free agent on July 11, 2013.

Novak, 32, has appeared in seven games for the Thunder this season, averaging 2.4 points in 3.4 minutes of action. He has appeared in 456 career games (six starts), averaging 4.7 points and 1.3 rebounds while shooting 43.2% from three-point range in 10 seasons with New York, L.A. Clippers, Houston, Toronto, San Antonio, Utah, Dallas and Oklahoma City. The Marquette University product was drafted by Houston with the 32nd overall pick of the 2006 NBA Draft.

The Nuggets roster currently stands at 13 players.

Nuggets trade Randy Foye to Thunder

The Denver Nuggets have acquired guard D.J. Augustin, forward Steve Novak, two second round picks and cash consideration from Oklahoma City in exchange for guard Randy Foye, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Augustin, 28, has appeared in 34 games for Oklahoma City this season, averaging 4.2 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 15.3 minutes per game. The eight-year NBA veteran has appeared in 545 career games (170 starts) for Charlotte, Indiana, Toronto, Chicago, Detroit and Oklahoma City, averaging 9.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. He was drafted by Charlotte out of the University of Texas with the ninth overall pick of the 2008 NBA Draft.

Foye, 32, has appeared in 185 games (106 starts) with Denver over the past three seasons, averaging 9.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 25.1 minutes per game. The 10-year veteran has appeared in 656 career games (392 starts) with Minnesota, Washington, L.A. Clippers, Utah and Denver, averaging 11.0 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Emmanuel Mudiay replaces injured Patrick Beverley in 2016 Skills Challenge

Denver Nuggets guard Emmanuel Mudiay will replace injured defending champion Patrick Beverley of the Houston Rockets in the 2016 Skills Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

The Skills Challenge is part of All-Star Saturday Night and this year includes some big-men. In the past, the event was entirely guards.

Mudiay, the seventh pick of NBA Draft 2015, ranks first among rookies in assists (5.9 apg), second in minutes (30.2 mpg) and fifth in scoring (11.4 ppg). A native of what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mudiay will also compete for the World Team in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Friday, Feb. 12 at Air Canada Centre.

Beverley, who won the 2015 Skills Challenge in his event debut, will miss this year’s competition due to an ankle injury.

Nuggets sign Sean Kilpatrick to second 10-day contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Sean Kilpatrick to a second 10-day contract, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Kilpatrick, 6-4, 210, initially signed with the Nuggets on January 12 and has averaged 2.3 ppg in four games with Denver.

He appeared in 22 games (21 starts) for the Delaware 87ers of the NBA D-League this season, averaging 27.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.14 steals in 38.5 minutes per game. He was the seventh GATORADE Call-Up of the season.

Emmanuel Mudiay more aggressive lately

The Denver Nuggets (16-26) are getting 10.7 points (just 31.6% FG), 3.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game from athletic rookie guard Emmanuel Mudiay. Here’s the Denver Post reporting:

Nuggets rookie Emmanuel Mudiay has a different look about him of late, a more confident, aggressive turn in his play that has shown up in each of his last two games.

“I feel good,” Mudiay said. “I think I’m getting myself, getting my groove back. I’m just going to keep working on my game and keep my confidence going.”

The dunks are part of it. He dunked on Miami’s Hassan Whiteside last Friday, which was three games ago. He had two-hand monster dunk late in the Indiana two days later at a point when the Nuggets needed the points.

If it seems like he’s attacking the rim more lately it’s only because he is. Eight of his 10 shots against the Pacers were at the rim. He was 4-of-8 in those attempts. Six of his 14 shots in the Nuggets’ last game, against Oklahoma City, were at the rim. He made four of the six, including a breakaway dunk.

Nuggets front office staff get contract extensions

The Denver Nuggets have signed General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly, Assistant General Manager Arturas Karnisovas and their staff to multi-year contract extensions, President and Governor Josh Kroenke announced today.

“Over the past few years Tim, Arturas, and the rest of our front office staff have worked tirelessly in reshaping our roster and our entire organizational vision for the future,” said Kroenke. “Whether through the draft, trades, or free agency, we have an excellent mix of players and are extremely well positioned moving forward.”

Connelly took over as General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2013 after spending the previous three seasons with New Orleans serving as their Assistant General Manager. Prior to his time in New Orleans, Connelly spent 10 years with the Washington Wizards organization where he rose to director of player personnel.

Karnisovas came to Denver after spending five years with the Houston Rockets organization, where he most recently was the Director of Scouting. He spent four years with the NBA league office prior to that.

“We’re excited and honored by this opportunity to continue what we have started here in Denver,” stated Connelly. “We have a locker room full of dedicated players and staff, led by head coach Michael Malone, who look forward to winning in this great city for years to come. As a staff we would like to thank Josh and the entire Kroenke family for their continued support; we are unbelievably fortunate to work for such committed ownership.

Nuggets sign Sean Kilpatrick to 10-day contract

The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Sean Kilpatrick to a 10-day contract, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Kilpatrick, 6-4, 210, has appeared in 22 games (21 starts) for the Delaware 87ers of the NBA D-League this season, averaging 27.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.14 steals in 38.5 minutes per game. He is the seventh D-League-to-NBA “Call-Up” of the season to date.

The New York product played four years at the University of Cincinnati where he was named AP All-American First Team and All-AAC First Team as a senior. He went undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft.

The Nuggets roster now stands at 15 players.

Gary Harris back soon for Nuggets

Here’s the Denver Post reporting that the Nuggets (8-14) will soon regain the services of guard Gary Harris (9.8 ppg in 26.6 minutes per game this season):

Amid a host of players who did not practice for the Nuggets on Wednesday was the welcome sight of one who did.

Shooting guard Gary Harris.

Harris went through his first full contact practice since suffering a concussion against the San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 27. He’s missed every game since then, five in all, and the Nuggets have missed him. He was one of the Nuggets more reliable shooters and is arguably the team’s best defender.

“It was good,” said Harris of the practice. “It was good to finally to get back out there.”

Denver-area radio station news

Here’s the Denver Post blog with news on the Denver, Colorado airwaves:

ESPN will move its Denver radio affiliation to the Bonneville International-owned 1600 AM, the sister station of 104.3 The Fan, following Front Range Sports Network’s agreement to sell 105.5 FM to Greeley-based community radio station KUNC.

The sale of 105.5 FM, announced on Monday, will allow non-commercial KUNC to split music and news formats, offering expanded news and information broadcasts on its current dial position, 91.5 FM, and launching its non-commercial music format full-time on the new frequency. The move is similar to one undertaken by Colorado Public Radio, which split its programming between 90.1 FM for news and 102.3 FM for music in January.

Wilson Chandler undergoes season-ending hip surgery

Nuggets Forward Wilson Chandler underwent successful surgery to repair a labral tear in his right hip, Nuggets General Manager and Executive Vice President Tim Connelly announced today.

The arthroscopic surgery was performed by Dr. Bryan Kelly at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, New York.

Chandler has missed all 10 games this season and will miss the remainder of the season.

He is expected to make a full and complete recovery for the start of the 2016-17 campaign.