Denver lacks big money to spend in the offseason, so don’t expect the likes of Seattle’s Ray Allen, Milwaukee’s Mich- ael Redd, Phoenix’s Joe Johnson or Washington’s Larry Hughes to be in a Nuggets uniform next season, unless there is a blockbuster trade.
What is more realistic is that the Nuggets find the shooting guard they covet through the draft or a lesser-name free-agent signing.
They have plenty of internal candidates for the job but no sure-fire starter heading into the offseason.
Nuggets shooting guard Voshon Lenard is a sharpshooter and can score points in bunches. But the Nuggets are concerned about whether he can still be a force after he missed all but three games this past season with a torn Achilles tendon. Expect Denver to monitor Lenard closely during the offseason before deciding if it’s worth exercising his contract next season – one that would pay him $3.52 million.
Nuggets shooting guard Greg Buckner is a defensive specialist who is expected to opt out of his contract paying $932,546 next season.
Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe likes Buckner and believes he could become a defensive stopper and a 3-point threat like San Antonio’s Bruce Bowen. Buckner has indicated he wants to stay in Denver.
The Nuggets also can attempt to re-sign shooting guard DerMarr Johnson, who went from an unwanted free agent to a starter for much of the season.
Don’t be surprised if Buckner is back on the roster next season. Lenard’s situation is much more tricky, but the Nuggets could try to opt out and sign him at a lower price. Johnson’s future in Denver is even more uncertain.
But regardless of whether Buckner, Lenard and Johnson are here next season, expect the Nuggets to try to add a bigger, more athletic and defensive-minded shooting guard to the roster.
There could be some talented free-agent shooting guards who won’t cost a fortune. Minnesota’s Latrell Sprewell wants out and is close to Nuggets center Marcus Camby, but he has a history of creating turmoil. The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to opt out of the last year of troubled Bonzi Wells’ contract. The Los Angeles Clippers’ Kerry Kittles only played in 11 games because of injury last season but could be a steal if healthy.
Other free-agent shooting guards include the Clippers’ Bobby Simmons, the 2005 NBA most improved player, and Marko Jaric, Philadelphia’s Kyle Korver, Charlotte’s Kareem Rush and Keith Bogans, Indiana’s James Jones, Seattle’s Ronald Murray, Miami’s Shandon Anderson and Qyntel Woods, New Orleans’ Casey Jacobsen and Bostjan Nachbar, Sacramento’s Maurice Evans and San Antonio’s Devin Brown. While the Clippers are expected to re-sign Simmons, they are the Clippers and known to make bonehead moves. It might be worth the gamble for the Nuggets to make a strong run at this budding star with the midlevel exception.
While the 20th and 22nd picks in the NBA draft wouldn’t seem like much in most years, this year is an exception. The potential age limit coming in 2006 is expected to result in many prospects entering the draft early. And, good news for the Nuggets, this draft is expected to be loaded with shooting guards. Potential prospects who could be available when Denver picks include North Carolina’s Rashard McCants, Texas A&M’s Antoine Wright, New Mexico’s Danny Granger, Alabama’s Kennedy Winston, Louisville’s Francisco Garcia, North Carolina State’s Julius Hodge, Georgia Tech’s B.J. Elder and Indiana’s Bracey Wright as well as Rudy Fernandez from Spain. And, if the Nuggets are looking for a shooting guard to groom for the future, there could be such prep stars as Martell Webster, Louis Williams and CJ Miles and Turkey’s Ersan Ilyasova available.
The Nuggets probably will not add a marquee shooting guard, but they should be able to land a quality one.
Marc J. Spears can be heard talking NBA on Thursday mornings on “The Press Box” and at 4 p.m. on ESPN 560 AM He can be reached at 303-820-5449 or mspears@denverpost.com.
