Las Vegas – The Nuggets’ latest candidate for their vacant guard position appears to be the Los Angeles Clippers’ Marko Jaric.
“There seems to be interest,” his agent, Bill Duffy, said Saturday after talking with Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe. “I think George Karl really likes him, feels he can add depth, play multiple positions. … I’d say it’s a pretty strong level of interest.”
Duffy guessed Jaric could have a deal in place within the week. He said five or six teams have “very serious interest” in the 6-foot-7 combo guard, who posted career highs of 9.9 points per game and a .371 3-point percentage in 2004-05.
But Jaric is restricted, meaning L.A. can match any offer to him. The Clippers’ perimeter is more vulnerable now that they have lost free-agent swingman Bobby Simmons to Milwaukee.
The other concern with Jaric is his health. He missed 32 games this season, including the final six weeks of the season because of a broken bone in his left foot.
Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy would not comment regarding whether his team would match an offer, but said, “We like Marko as a player very much.”
Andy Miller, the agent for free-agent Sacramento shooting guard Cuttino Mobley, also met with Vandeweghe but suggested nothing is imminent.
“(Vandeweghe) is not in a rush to do anything right now,” Miller said. “We’re just talking.”
Vandeweghe predicted that once teams can begin signing players next week, there will be more activity beyond the decisions of A-list players like Michael Redd and Ray Allen.
“As it gets closer to the 22nd, things will start to heat up a little bit,” he said.
Flores flourishes
The stakes may be lower, but the minutes are still meaningful for Luis Flores as part of the Nuggets’ summer league team. Acquired with Eduardo Najera at the trade deadline in February, the second-year guard managed just four minutes in one game with Denver.
Flores is front and center now, leading Denver for the second straight game Saturday. He scored 16 points in a 92-77 win over Detroit. After logging time as a practice guard behind Andre Miller and Earl Boykins in the spring, he said playing now is refreshing.
“I found myself in a situation where I was like, ‘Man, I’m not going to get in there unless one of them gets hurt,’ and I didn’t want any of them to get hurt,” he said of last season. “I was hungry to show how much I’ve gotten better.”
Denver has a $150,000 buyout of Flores’ contract that it can exercise by Aug. 31.
“I’m just trying to put myself in a good situation,” he said.
Footnotes
Nuggets center Marcus Camby attended Saturday’s game. Camby also will appear in Steve Nash’s charity game in Toronto at the end of the month and travel to South Africa in September for the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program. While he said he is excited about the trip, which will also include a safari, Camby joked, “I’m not excited about the 12 shots I’ve got to receive.” Camby will work out with the Nuggets during his visit, along with teammates Carmelo Anthony and Voshon Lenard. The Nuggets have until Thursday to exercise a $250,000 buyout of Lenard’s contract. … Vandeweghe said it appears former Nuggets assistant and interim head coach Michael Cooper will return as a scout next season. … Nuggets center Luke Schenscher has scrapped plans to join San Antonio’s summer league team in Salt Lake City this week, and instead will stay with Denver in Las Vegas. … Former University of Denver guard Rodney Billups went scoreless in seven minutes for Detroit against the Nuggets.
Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or athompson@denverpost.com.
