Both sides negotiating a possible contract extension for Nugget forward Nene sounded pessimistic about a deal coming to fruition before an NBA-mandated deadline today.
Although he said the two sides are still talking, agent Michael Coyne said: “I don’t see it. We’re just too far apart.”
Added Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe: “Michael Coyne and I are going to take it right up to the deadline. If we are fortunate enough to get something done, that’d be great. But if you look at all the people who are potential restricted free agents, the odds are he’s going to become a restricted free agent. But we’re sure going to give it a try.”
If no deal gets done, Nene becomes a restricted free agent next summer, meaning other teams may sign him, though the Nuggets could match. Nene has taken out an insurance policy in case he enters the regular season with his future undetermined.
Nene is believed to be searching for a contract worth about $10 million annually, similar to what New York’s Eddy Curry and Philadelphia’s Samuel Dalembert signed for this offseason.
Dalembert’s career highs for a season are 8.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, while Nene’s are 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds.
Detroit, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta are teams believed to be interested in Nene, and the latter two should have plenty of salary cap room to make him a big offer if they choose next year.
“The guy’s going to be a wealthy man,” Nuggets coach George Karl predicted. “I told him if we stop coaching him, he’s going to be a wealthy man. If the NBA locks out, he’s going to be a wealthy man. … It’s just a financial situation where we have to evaluate the pulse of the league. There’s a lot of rumors this year.
“I think we showed him that we want him here, want to give him the opportunity to be a wealthy man here.”
Vandeweghe agreed that failure to strike a deal now does not “by any stretch” mean the Nuggets do not want Nene.
“I think the trick has been to try and formulate something that’s fair to both sides, taking into account potential and taking into account” what Nene already has accomplished, Vandeweghe said.
Paying big based on Nene’s upside is one question mark. A second is the looming contract extension for Nuggets small forward Carmelo Anthony in 2007.
Anthony’s agent, Calvin Andrews, said Sunday that despite published reports, he is not locked into landing Anthony a maximum contract. Still, Anthony should be up for a sizeable raise, which, with Nene’s contract and the team’s other long-term deals, likely would force Denver to pay the NBA’s luxury tax.
“Obviously you try to be fiscally responsible and make sure that your decisions are the best for the team and give you the best opportunity to win,” Vandeweghe said. “But you’re also trying to make each decision stand on its own merits.”
Another possibility is an in-season trade, though it could be hard to get a player of equal value matching Nene’s $3 million contract alone.
“I just don’t think you trade bigs,” Karl said. “Hold on to them as long as you can, unless you know you’re better because of making a maneuver. Bigs are a commodity in this league.”
The coach said he hopes Nene takes a “big step” this season, which he equates to between 2,000 and 2,500 minutes – he had just 1,317 last season coming off the bench and coping with injuries – and upgrading his rebounding, weak- side defense and ability to score inside.
But in today’s NBA, even falling short of those goals could get Nene paid. He has deferred to Vandeweghe and Coyne on such questions, saying he is trying to focus on the season.
“Everybody asks about this. I try not (to) think. Tuesday is a game,” he said.
Footnotes
Karl said he expects a full lineup when the Nuggets open Tuesday night at San Antonio. Marcus Camby twisted an ankle in practice Sunday but said he felt fine to play in the game. …
The Nuggets looked like a team ready to get its regular season started Sunday in a workout that ended with Karl sternly reminding them about the importance of practices.
“Players want to move on and coaches want to get more done,” Karl said afterward. “It’s just a conflict of scheduling. Most coaches think they’re two weeks behind, and players think it’s been two weeks too long.”
Camby said of the talk: “There’s always going to be a tug between players and coaches. We want something. I don’t know. You can’t fight the coach. Whatever he says goes, and for the most part everything he’s said has been working for us.” …
Assistant coach Scott Brooks will coach Denver’s first two games to replace Karl, who will serve a suspension. Asked what Brooks can expect, Karl predicted the team would rally around him, but added: “If they play hard, Scotty will have the answers, and if they work with Scotty, he will have the answers. The question will be if frustration, anger, ego and all that come into the game. Then Scotty’s going to have to waste his time in management rather than coaching. If the team allows him to stay in coaching, he’ll be fine. So much of NBA basketball is management of attitudes.” …
Spurs guard Manu Ginobli has missed the past two days of practice with a deep thigh bruise, but coach Gregg Popovich told the San Antonio Express-News on Sunday that Ginobli is between questionable and probable for Tuesday’s game.
Staff writer Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or athompson@denverpost.com.
