The Nuggets are not only in the playoffs this season. They are in the black.
Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke said Saturday that the Nuggets would make a profit this season. That wasn’t the case when Kroenke purchased the Nuggets, the Avalanche and the Pepsi Center on July 6, 2000. The Nuggets’ payroll is about $45 million this season.
“We’ve built a great organization with flexibility,” said Kroenke, who would not divulge how profitable the Nuggets have been. “It’s no one guy, that’s my view. I believe that you build an organization where the sum is better than the parts. Everybody is working together. That’s what we have with the Nuggets.”
The Nuggets averaged 17,657 fans this season.
Kroenke’s labor role
Kroenke is a member of the NBA’s labor committee, which is meeting regularly attempting to hammer out a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA expires July 1.
“I’m optimistic that we’ll get something done, but you never know,” Kroenke said. “Labor issues are labor issues. I was optimistic we’d get something done with hockey last year, but we didn’t.
“The league is growing. We have a lot of good things happening in the league this year that we are positive about. I think the players recognize that and are optimistic.”
Buckner prefers Denver
Nuggets shooting guard can opt out of the second year of his contract, which is due to pay him more than $932,000 next season. Buckner said he plans on staying with the team next season, citing a loyalty to general manager Kiki Vandeweghe after he signed Buckner when Philadelphia bought out his contract last summer.
Buckner plans on having a youth basketball camp at the Denver Athletic Club on July 11-15.
“I want to be a Nugget,” he said. “They gave me the opportunity and I want to be here. I want to end my career here.”
Said Vandeweghe: “That’s a great statement for the city and the fans to hear. Buck is the type of guy we want back.”
Buckner received the starting nod Saturday night over , who started the first two games of the series, as coach George Karl looked to get his best defense on the court early.
They have the power
Kroenke and small forward appeared in 5280 magazine’s list of the 25 most powerful people in Denver, ranking fifth and 21st, respectively.
“I found their depiction of how I get things done a little bit humorous,” Kroenke said.
Anthony was pictured in a cartoon wearing a purple zoot suit. He was the only athlete ranked.
“That’s a great achievement. That’s great,” Anthony said. “There’s a lot of big-time people in there, billionaires. So that’s a great feeling. I’m glad I’m on it.”
Footnotes
Nuggets forward is scheduled to sign autographs from 3-5 p.m. today at Field of Dreams at Park Meadows Mall. … Nuggets consultant Jim Harrick visited the team for Game 3, his first time in Denver seeing Karl in charge. “George is a master coach, and you’ve seen it in action,” he said. … Karl, on one of his former players, Shawn Kemp, being charged Friday with marijuana possession: “It saddens me,” said Karl, who coached Kemp in Seattle. “I hope he is OK.”
Staff writer Adam Thompson contributed to this report.
