Nuggets News

Three in Nuggets camp are in the money even if they don't make roster
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October 6
Rocky Mountain News
 
"One expects comedian Yakov Smirnoff to jump out and say, "What a country!" Or, to be more precise, "What a league!" So there's an ongoing world economic crisis? One might not know it when it comes to the NBA. There are three players in Nuggets training camp on nonguaranteed contracts who you need not cry too hard for if they don't make the team. They will be paid a total of $7.5 million this season, even if they're home, sitting in a La-Z-Boy. Fortunate one No. 1 is forward Juwan Howard, who had his contract bought out before last season by Minnesota for more than $10 million. He'll make $5.16 million this season courtesy of the Timberwolves, who also will pay Troy Hudson $5 million this ..."
Denver looks to young leadership
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October 6
Denver Post
 
"Like a father handing a teenager the keys to the family car for the first time, Nuggets coach George Karl is giving the team's future to its young stars. A big chunk of locker room leadership and on-court experience left when Marcus Camby and Eduardo Najera moved to new teams in the offseason. It means responsibility has been ratcheted up for J.R. Smith, Linas Kleiza, Nene, and, yes, Carmelo Anthony, to take an active role in what the Nuggets will be. "Yeah, the window and the face has changed," Karl said. "I think all of the young players have been put in positions where this is maybe a big step for them. But they've been playing, they've been responsible guys, and now they are going to ..."
Nuggets' scrimmage sloppy, intense
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October 5
Denver Post
 
"The Nuggets' scrimmage got a little testy this afternoon, with players jawing at the refs - and at each other.

"It was a little sloppy," Denver coach George Karl said. "Most of my disappointment was offensive. It was sloppy, but intense."

There were numerous highlights in the scrimmage, notably from Carmelo Anthony, who Karl said was the best player on the court. For all his scoring, Anthony made a couple of slick passes, like he was Allen Iverson or something."

Nuggets present their testimony for defense
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October 5
Denver Post
 
"The first tangible piece of evidence things might be changing for the Nuggets came Monday, the night before training camp started. A team meeting was scheduled. Defense was the topic. The next day, coach George Karl made the words reality when he did not have his team run any offense on the first day of practice. It was all defense, all the time, which will be the theme of training camp. This is not to say the Nuggets haven't paid some sort of attention to defense before. They started last year's camp saying all the right things about making a renewed commitment to the defensive end. That attention to defensive detail flickered, however. Some times the Nuggets were engaged. Sometimes they ..."
Nene's work thrills Karl
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October 5
Denver Post
 
"It was an early August evening at The Capital Grille, and George Karl was simmering like a filet mignon.

The Nuggets coach had a clear understanding that in the upcoming season, Nene's role would be paramount. He wondered if Nene understood this too.

During dinner, Karl and Nene had "a direct conversation with a little anger," said the coach, who let his starting center know he needed to start centering his days on basketball preparation.

"Since that day, I think he averaged four to five days in the gym, which he had never done for us," Karl said.

And in the first week of preseason camp, well, "he's been tremendous," Karl said.

There have been glimpses of greatness, said the ..."

Tinsley rumor sent packing by Nuggets
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October 4
Rocky Mountain News
 
"Mark Warkentien was packing for a scouting trip Friday morning when he gazed at the television. "I saw on the ESPN scrawl we had traded for Jamaal Tinsley, so, at that point, I grabbed my encyclopedia to see if Dewey had defeated Truman," said the Nuggets executive, referring to the 1948 presidential winner inaccurately reported by the Chicago Tribune. The New York Post reported Friday the Nuggets would trade guard Chucky Atkins and center Steven Hunter to Indiana for the banished Tinsley, pending the point guard passing a physical. The story was refuted by Nuggets coach George Karl and Hunter's agent, Mark Bartelstein. While Warkentien would not comment to the Rocky beyond the above ..."
Trade rumors distract Nuggets
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October 4
Denver Post
 
"One of the first things Nuggets coach George Karl did when he arrived at the Pepsi Center this morning was to apologize to Chucky Atkins and Steven Hunter. A report in Newsday had the Nuggets trading the duo to Indiana for guard Jamaal Tinsley, a report that Nuggets officials quickly struck down as untrue. "He is a guy that we had talked about, but when I heard all the stuff this morning, I was laughing," Karl said. "I don't think it's that hot. But I shouldn't be answering that question." Atkins, who is in the second of a three-year contract with the Nuggets, is rehabbing from knee surgery and is expected to play in early November. Hunter has put on weight and is attempting to put last ..."
Tinsley to Nuggets? Possibly Monday
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October 4
Indianapolis Star
 
"Embattled point guard Jamaal Tinsley remained an Indiana Pacer on Friday, but there is a "strong possibility" he could be traded to the Denver Nuggets as early as Monday, a person familiar with the situation said. A second person confirmed trade discussions were ongoing and said the Pacers will look for another partner if it falls through. Both teams denied a report Friday morning that the deal already was done, pending Tinsley passing a physical. Nuggets coach George Karl told Denver reporters he laughed at the possibility. "I don't think there's anything to it," Karl said. "It's erroneous," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien told ESPN.com. "Did Dewey beat ..."
Nuggets' 'deal' refuted
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October 3
Denver Post
 
"The Indiana Pacers have talked to Denver, along with many teams, about trading disgraced point guard Jamaal Tinsley, but a source close to the Nuggets said Friday no deal has been made. The New York Post reported that Denver is sending guard Chucky Atkins and center Steven Hunter to the Pacers for Tinsley, but the source denied any deal has happened. Hunter's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said he wouldn't rule out a future trade, but said, "I don't think there's anything close. I think there's a lot of talk this time of year, so I don't think it's any secret that the Nuggets are looking for a point guard and the Pacers would love to get an athletic big like Steven.""
No Tinsley deal
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October 3
Indianapolis Star
 
"I've talked to a couple people - one from the Pacers camp and another from the Nuggets camp - this morning and both sides say point guard Jamaal Tinsley has not been traded to Denver for point guard Chucky Atkins and center Steven Hunter as reported by the New York Post. The deal, if true, would have pushed the Pacers rost