Denver Nuggets Blog – Page 58 – NBA Blog

Ty Lawson off to hot start

Denver Nuggets rookie point guard Ty Lawson has immediately shown he’s worthy of being a part of a winning team’s rotation. Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post reports:

Lawson was projected to have to scratch and claw for playing time, but he has averaged 21.2 minutes per game and has backed it up by averaging 11.8 points to go along with 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game.

“He reminds me a little bit of, when I came (into the league), a fast little guard was Brevin Knight,” Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups said. “The only reason I say that is because Brevin was really, really fast but he was never out of control. He was really fast and didn’t look like he was moving that fast. Ty is really, really fast, and most guys have to get low instead of standing straight up. He’s got a special gift.

“He’s small in stature, but he’s stronger than people think. You can’t just knock him around. He’s low to the ground, like a pit bull. But a lot faster than a pit bull.”

At 5-11, 195 pounds, Lawson is worth keeping an eye on.

The Nuggets are off to a hot start in 2009-10 and as of Friday are undefeated with a 5-0 record.

Nuggets sign Renaldo Balkman to contract extension

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Renaldo Balkman to a contract extension, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today. Per league policy, terms of the deal were not released. We’ll post details Sunday or Monday.

Last season, Balkman averaged a career-high 5.0 ppg and 3.8 rpg while shooting a career-high .558 from the field in 53 games with the Nuggets.

Balkman was acquired by trade from the New York Knicks on July 28, 2008 in exchange for guard Taurean Green, forward Bobby Jones and a 2010 second round draft pick.

Balkman was originally selected by New York in the first round (20th overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft out of the University of South Carolina and has averaged 4.4 ppg and 3.8 rpg and has shot .517 from the floor in 186 career games.

Nuggets exercise Arron Afflalo option

The Denver Nuggets have exercised the fourth-year option on guard Arron Afflalo’s contract, team Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

In his first two games with Denver, he has averaged 1.5 ppg and 1.0 apg in 18.5 minutes.

Afflalo was acquired by trade from the Detroit Pistons on July 13 in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

The UCLA product was selected by the Pistons in the first round (27th overall) of the 2007 NBA Draft and averaged 4.3 ppg and 1.8 rpg in 14.8 minutes per contest in two seasons in Detroit.

NBA tells bench players stay seated so fans can see

Good NBA seats are expensive. Fans shelling out big money to sit near the court should expect a good view of the action.

But what about when players get off the bench and remain standing for a while? On the one hand, it’s nice to see guys cheer their teammates. On the other, these giants prevent fans from seeing what they paid to see.

The Cavs are one team with players who remained standing a lot, and now the league office has reportedly taken action.

Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports:

The NBA has issued a memo to its teams directing players on the bench to remain seated during games. Game officials will be keeping a closer eye and will issue faster warnings and possible technical fouls if not followed. Players are permitted to cheer, but standing during regular-game action and blocking the fans’ views apparently isn’t going to be allowed.

That goes for Tuesday night’s first preseason game at The Q, where the Cavs will host the Charlotte Bobcats in the first of eight practice games before the season opener.

The Cavs weren’t exactly thrilled that their custom has been legislated.

“It is hard to take that out of the game,” LeBron James said. “Part of the game is emotions, your teammates are all you have. That was part of the reason we played great basketball, because we cheered each other.”

I support the league protecting the paying fan’s view.

Oct 1: Jazz 103, Nuggets 87

The AP reports: C.J. Miles and Deron Williams scored 16 points apiece and the Utah Jazz beat the Denver Nuggets 103-87 on Thursday night in an uneventful debut for replacement referees in the NBA preseason… Williams also had six assists in 21 minutes, Miles was 5 for 7 from the field and Mehmet Okur had 10 points and seven rebounds for the Jazz. Anthony led the Nuggets with 13 points.

Nuggets declare Renaldo Balkman a small forward

Denver Nuggets forward Renaldo Balkman is an energy player. At 6-8 and around 210 pounds, he has no clear position. He’s not a shooting guard. And although he hits the boards and bangs like a power forward, he’s too small to really play the four-spot. Size-wise, he’s a small forward. So, even if he can’t shoot, from now on that’s what the Nuggets will consider him.

Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post reports:

This year, George Karl is making what he thinks is “a pretty drastic switch,” but it could be fruitful — Balkman is now a small forward.

Makes sense. No, Balkman can’t shoot like most small forwards, but as far as size, he’ll be a perfect fit defensively. And with Linas Kleiza no longer on the team, that opens up some minutes behind Carmelo Anthony — though it’s possible Karl could, at times, play a point guard alongside J.R. Smith and Arron Afflalo.

“We’re a little excited about seeing Balkman at small forward,” Karl said. “We’re going to give him a lot of minutes there in training camp. We would like, as we cut the roster down, to give him 15-20 minutes in the games at the two or three position.

Regardless of what position he’s playing, Balkman will do what he does, which is hustle and try to fill in the blanks and make things easier for teammates who have better-refined basketball skills.

Kenyon Martin has no plans to opt out

The Denver Post reports: Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin has no plans to opt out of his contract at the end of this season. “They could have sent in that paperwork that day (I signed the contract),” Martin said Friday during Nuggets media day. “No, I ain’t opting out of nothing. I worked for that (money). I want that.” As a result, Martin will make nearly $17 million next season in the last year of his pact. He could have opted out of the deal and become a free agent next summer. He originally signed the seven-year, $92.5 million contract in 2004.

Rockets trade James White to Nuggets for Axel Hervelle

The Denver Nuggets have acquired G/F James White from the Houston Rockets in exchange for the draft rights to F Axel Hervelle, Nuggets Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.

White, 6-7, 200, has averaged 5.7 ppg and 2.0 rpg in 10 career games (two starts) with San Antonio and Houston. He was originally drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (No. 31 overall) of the 2006 NBA Draft before having his rights traded to Indiana in a draft night deal. After being released by the Pacers prior to the 2006-07 season, White was signed by the Spurs and spent the remainder of his rookie season between San Antonio and its D-League affiliate, the Austin Toros. He played overseas with Fenerbahçe (Turkey) during the 2007-08 season.

This previous year, White played 34 games (33 starts) with the Anaheim Arsenal of the NBA Development League before being called up by the Rockets on Mar. 3. He averaged 1.8 ppg in four regular season games for Houston, as well as 1.4 ppg in five postseason appearances during the Rockets run to the Western Conference Semifinals. In his time with the Arsenal, White averaged a league-high-tying 25.9 ppg to go along with 5.0 rpg and 2.5 apg while shooting .549 from the field.

Hervelle, 6-8, 230, was selected by the Nuggets in the second round (No. 52 overall) of the 2005 NBA Draft. Hervelle, who had yet to play for Denver, posted averages of 8.1 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 35 contests for Real Madrid (Spain) last season.

InsideHoops.com editor says: White is famous for being an amazing dunker. Hervelle is basically unknown.

JR Rider wants NBA comeback

Paul Walsh of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports: One of the baddest of bad boys in recent NBA history — former Timberwolf J.R. Rider — is negotiating a return to professional basketball in the United States at age 38. The owner of the first-year North Texas Fresh in the American Basketball Association said this morning that he is “in the process of getting it done” and bringing Rider on board. Owner Jay Bowdy said that Rider has another offer in play from a team overseas, where players can make more money.

The Star Tribune continues: Rider’s agent, Joe Lee, said this morning that Rider hasn’t played organized ball since a 10-game pit stop with the Denver Nuggets in 2001-02. Still, he’s “been working out hard” and playing pickup ball with local college guys in suburban Phoenix, where Rider now makes his home, Lee said.

InsideHoops.com editor says: Rider has about the same shot at getting signed to an NBA team as I do.

Grizzlies sign Allen Iverson

Allen Iverson expected to sign with Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies today released the following statement from General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace.

“The Memphis Grizzlies have agreed in principle to enter into an agreement with free agent guard Allen Iverson. We anticipate signing him to a contract very soon.”

According to the New York Times the deal is a one-year contract for about $3.5 million.

SEPTEMBER 10 UPDATE: The Memphis Grizzlies signed guard Allen Iverson, one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, Grizzlies General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Chris Wallace announced today.

“We are excited to announce the signing of Allen Iverson,” Wallace said. “He is one of the all-time great guards in the history of the NBA. This is a great day for the Grizzlies organization, our loyal fans and the city of Memphis.”

A four-time NBA scoring champion and a 10-time NBA All-Star (2000-09), Iverson ranks second among active players in career scoring behind the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Shaquille O’Neal and 16th in NBA history with 23,983 career points.

The 2000-01 NBA Most Valuable Player holds career averages of 27.1 points, 6.2 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.22 steals in 41.4 minutes in 886 career games (877 starts) over 13 seasons (1996-09) with the Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers, who originally selected him with the first overall pick in the 1996 NBA Draft.

Iverson’s career scoring average ranks fifth all-time behind Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and the 2008-09 NBA MVP LeBron James. One of only four players in NBA history to capture the league’s scoring title four times (1998-99, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2004-05), joining Jordan (10), Chamberlain (7) and George Gervin (4), Iverson places fourth all-time in 40-plus point games (79) and sixth all-time in 50-plus point games (11). He scored a career-high 60 points on Feb. 12, 2005 vs. the Orlando Magic as a member of the 76ers.

The 6-0, 165-pound guard’s extensive list of awards and honors include the NBA Rookie of the Year (1997), All-NBA First Team (1999, 2001, 2005), All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2002, 2003), All-NBA Third Team (2006), NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2001, 2005) and NBA Rookie Game Most Valuable Player (1997).

Most recently, Iverson split the 2008-09 season with Denver and Detroit, averaging 17.5 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 36.7 minutes in 57 games (53 starts). The Pistons acquired the 34-year-old from the Nuggets in exchange for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb on Nov. 3, 2008. Iverson will face his former team in the Grizzlies’ 2009-10 regular season opener at FedExForum on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

The former Georgetown standout also ranks fourth all-time in career minutes per game (41.4), 12th in career steals (1,964) and is the only player in NBA history to lead the league in steals per game in three consecutive seasons (2000-03). Iverson also owns 134 career double-doubles (one in every 6.6 career games).

The Hampton, Va. native enjoyed his most successful season in 2000-01, when Iverson led the 76ers to the Eastern Conference Championship and a berth in the NBA Finals for the first time since the 1982-83 season. During his MVP campaign, Iverson averaged a league-leading 31.1 points, 4.6 assists and 3.8 rebounds in 42.0 minutes in 71 games (all starts).

Iverson, who has helped lead his team to the postseason in nine of his 13 seasons, ranks second all-time in NBA playoffs history in points per game (29.7) and 40-plus scoring games (10), while ranking seventh in steals per game (2.07).

The addition of Iverson gives the Grizzlies an NBA-high four players on their roster who averaged at least 17.0 points per game during the 2008-09 season (Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph).

The roster currently stands at 15 players.