Denver Nuggets Blog – Page 42 – NBA Blog

Clippers hope to sign J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith

Not afraid to shoot while double-teamed

The Los Angeles Clippers are one of a handful of teams vying for free-agent guard J.R. Smith, who will be eligible to return to the NBA on Wednesday after his Chinese team’s season concludes, according to a source with knowledge of the team’s thinking.

The Clippers were interested in Smith even before the season-ending injury to Chauncey Billups last week, believing they could use more offensive firepower off the bench. That was going to be a harder sell to Smith, who is looking for a larger role. Now, they can offer Smith the opportunity to start.

Like Billups did with recently-signed Kenyon Martin, point guard Chris Paul has taken a lead role in recruiting Smith, according to the source. The two are close from their two seasons as teammates with the Hornets.

— Reported by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles

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Wilson Chandler intends to sign with Nuggets

Wilson Chandler

Probably craves some pizza

Restricted free-agent forward Wilson Chandler plans to re-sign with the Denver Nuggets once he finishes playing in China, his agent told Yahoo! Sports.

Chandler signed with Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association during the NBA lockout and is committed to stay with the team until China’s season is over. Chandler is drawing “significant interest” from other NBA teams, Chandler’s agent, Chris Luchey said, but he wants to re-sign with the Nuggets for either the rest or the season or a longer-term deal.

Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri acknowledged the team’s interest in re-signing Chandler. The Nuggets have the right to match any offer Chandler receives from another NBA team.

— Reported by Marc. J Spears of Yahoo! Sports

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Denver Nuggets waive DeMarre Carroll

The Denver Nuggets have waived forward DeMarre Carroll, executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri announced.

Carroll, 6-8, 212, appeared in four games for the Nuggets this season, averaging 3.0 points in 5.3 minutes.

With 15 wins and eight losses, the Nuggets currently have the second best record in the Western conference. They’re led by the scoring of Danilo Gallinari (17.0 ppg), Ty Lawson (15.6 ppg), Al Harrington (15.3 ppg), Nene (13.8 ppg), Andre Miller (11.3 ppg) and Arron Afflalo (10.9 ppg).

The Nuggets now have 14 players on their active roster.

Kenyon Martin will not return to Nuggets

Kenyon Martin

Won’t re-sign in China, either

Kenyon Martin wasn’t necessarily in the plans for the Nuggets, but now it’s official: A league source said Thursday that the unrestricted free agent will not return to the Nuggets this season.

The power forward played in China but is looking to sign with an NBA team. Yahoo Sports reported that FIBA has cleared Martin to sign with a team now. Originally, he would have had to wait until his Chinese team finished its season later this month or in March, depending on the playoffs. Martin had already left his team in December to return to the States.

— Reported by Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post

Blake Griffin’s dunks remind George Karl of Shawn Kemp

Blake Griffin

Dunking space robot

“I’ve talked to a couple of guys who’ve said, ‘Was Shawn as powerful?'” said Denver Nuggets Coach George Karl, who coached Kemp in Seattle, before Thursday’s game. “I think that’s the guy who’s closest.”

Legend had it that Kemp once dunked so hard that sparks flew off the rim. He later admitted it to be true, adding that the basket had a metal-chain net, which helped the sparks fly.

Karl said seeing Griffin’s dunks reminded Karl of his own dunks — in a way.

“This kid, he gets so high above the rim. It reminds me of when I was an athlete and I could jump and we got the 8-foot hoops,” Karl said. “He does things that we used to do on 8, maybe 7-foot [hoops]. You know, throwing it down from three feet away.”

— Reported by Baxter Holmes of the Los Angeles Times

Kenyon Martin may sign with NBA team soon

Kenyon Martin is expected to decide by this weekend which NBA team he’ll join, league sources told Yahoo! Sports. The Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks have expressed interest in signing the veteran forward.

Martin signed with Xinjiang Gyang Hui of the Chinese Basketball Association, but has since returned to the United States. He’s not eligible to sign with an NBA team until Xinjiang’s season ends, which could be as soon as Feb. 16.

“He’s a veteran guy who knows how to win at a high level and in a playoff environment,” one NBA general manager said. “He also plays multiple positions. If you get him to a situation where he can be an Antonio McDyess-type of guy, that’s a heck of a guy to add to your roster.”

— Reported by Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports

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Denver Nuggets sign center Kosta Koufos to contract extension

The Denver Nuggets have signed center Kosta Koufos to a multi-year contract extension, Nuggets Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri announced today. According to the Denver Post, the deal is for three years and $9 million.

Koufos, 7-0, 265, is averaging 3.5 points and 3.6 rebounds in 11 games (five starts) this season. In 145 career games with the Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Utah Jazz, he has averaged 3.3 points and 2.4 rebounds in 8.9 minutes per game.

In 27 NBA games in which he has played at least 17 minutes, Koufos is averaging 9.2 points, 6.1 rebounds 1.22 blocked shots. He recorded his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 4.

The Nuggets acquired the 22-year-old Koufos from Minnesota as part of a 13-player, three-team trade on Feb. 22, 2011.

Koufos was drafted 23rd overall by the Jazz in 2008 after playing one season at Ohio State. In his only college season, he averaged 14.4 points while helping the Buckeyes to the 2008 NIT championship.

Denver Nuggets sign Danilo Gallinari to contract extension

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Danilo Gallinari to a multi-year contract extension, Nuggets Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri announced today. According to the Denver Post, the deal is for four years and $42 million.

Gallinari, 6-10, 225, has appeared in 17 games this season (all starts) and is averaging career-highs in points (17.4), rebounds (5.2), assists (2.8), steals (1.71), field-goal percentage (.462) and minutes (34.2). He ranks 22nd in the NBA in scoring, 13th in free-throw percentage (.892) and 13th in steals.

Gallinari, 23, was drafted sixth overall by the New York Knicks in 2008. He was acquired by Denver as part of a 13-player, three-team deal on Feb. 22, 2011.

“Gallo has been excellent and done everything we have asked since we made the trade last February,” Ujiri said. “Everybody is seeing how talented he is, and he’s only 23 years old. He is only going to get better.”

Gallinari recently put together one of the best games of his young career, scoring a career-high 37 points (18-of-20 FTs, both career-highs) and grabbing 11 rebounds in a double-overtime victory over the Knicks on Jan. 21. So far this season, he has scored 20-plus points seven times (30-plus twice), registered two double-doubles and attempted 10-or-more free throws four times.

In 2010-11, the native of Italy appeared in 62 games (60 starts), averaging 15.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 33.9 minutes per game. He scored at least 20 points 28 times, including two 30-plus performances.

Denver Nuggets recall Jordan Hamilton from D-League

The Nuggets have recalled rookie G/F Jordan Hamilton from the Idaho Stampede of the NBA Development League, team executive vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri announced today.

Hamilton, 6-7, 220, played in six games (two starts) for Idaho, averaging 9.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.0 minutes per game.

Hamilton, the 26th overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft, has not appeared for the Nuggets during the regular season. In two preseason games with Denver, he grabbed four rebounds in 16 minutes.

The Nuggets now have 15 players on their active roster.

Andre Miller not thrilled with role on Nuggets

Denver Nuggets point guard Andre Miller regularly was a starter in his first 12 NBA seasons. He’s not too happy with that changing.

Miller, who becomes a free agent after the season, said before Wednesday’s game against New Jersey that he would “probably not” return to the Nuggets next season if the role is to back up Ty Lawson. But Miller wouldn’t completely rule that out as a possibility if no better situations were available.

“At this point in my career, I don’t see myself as a backup,” Miller, who entered the NBA in 1999, said in an interview with FOXSports.com. “For 13 years, I wasn’t a backup before. This is a short season (due to the lockout), so I’ll deal with it. But I don’t see myself as a backup at this point in my career. I don’t see that.”

Interestingly, Miller did start his first game of the season against the Nets because Lawson was out with a right foot strain. But Lawson’s injury isn’t expected to sideline him for long, and he could be back starting Friday against Miami.

— Reported by Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida

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