Just when it appeared the Nuggets had blown $29 million so coach George Karl and general manager Kiki Vandeweghe could wage a petty fight, the poor guy caught in the middle of this spat saved his bosses from embarrassment.
Maybe Earl Watson is not a big waste of money after all.
In fact, before this basketball season is over, Watson could be the most valuable guard on the Nuggets roster.
“I never played for a coach who didn’t love me,” Watson said Saturday.
Before he could earn acceptance from fans, Watson fought merely to get noticed by Karl. The forgotten free agent finally has been discovered. The Invisible Man has got game. Who knew?
“I tried not to think about it, because if you think about it, you can build your own monster, make the negativity bigger than what it really is,” said Watson, who was caught in the crossfire of NBA office politics.
Welcome to Denver, Mr. Watson. Did anybody tell you that your Nuggets uniform would be a full-metal jacket?
Just because a general manager and coach work for the same team does not mean they are on the same page. Power struggles between the bench and front office are as common in pro hoops as tattoos. Everybody’s got one. Some are ugly.
Vandeweghe can be quirky. Karl can be stubborn. It remains to be seen if these two personalities can work together.
Unbeknownst to him, Watson became the first subject in this chemistry experiment.
When all the wise heads around the league said Denver needed a shooting guard, those same heads were scratched in disbelief in September, when Vandeweghe dropped serious cash on Watson.
Proving he takes orders from no one, Karl steadfastly let Watson gather dust on the bench as the Nuggets lost games they should have won.
“I don’t determine the playing time,” Vandeweghe said, after Watson’s first extensive duty contributed to a two-game winning streak that would have been impossible without his selfless play.
There really is no mystery how Denver wound up with Andre Miller, Earl Boykins and Watson as point guards. It really had little to do with backcourt flexibility or pushing the pace. It apparently was the result of a trade that did not happen.
When free agent Michael Finley decided he would rather spend quality time in airplanes with San Antonio star Tim Duncan rather than go to work for Karl, the Nuggets tried to make a deal with Boston for shooter Paul Pierce. Miller was the trade bait. The Celtics did not bite.
Signing Watson for a starting annual salary of $5 million will ultimately prove to be a bargain. While his name surfaces often in trade rumors, Watson is the one point guard Denver should definitely keep.
“He plays how I want to play,” said Karl, which makes you wonder why it took the coach so long to see the truth. “He plays fast. He’s a defensive-minded player and he doesn’t hold the ball.”
Watson is more versatile and more valuable to a running team than Boykins, whose shoot-first mentality can save the Nuggets when they’re struggling to score but irritates teammates when he operates a one-man fast break.
Watson’s active hands are why slow-mo Vo Lenard should never play, unless Karl is desperate for somebody who can jack a 3-point jumper. Watson’s speed makes it possible for Denver to listen, if any NBA team again inquires about trading for Miller.
As the Nuggets hobble at forward, with a season-ending injury to Nene and lingering effects of surgery grounding Kenyon Martin, all those dreams of 55 victories should be tucked in bed.
The primary goal now should be winning a weak Northwest Division, which might have difficulty qualifying more than one playoff entrant.
Watson is a winner. Trade him? No way. Play him.
Karl is 54 years old. Vandeweghe is 47.
At 26, Watson is barely half the age of his bosses. And, sometimes, twice as mature.
After getting less time on the court than Rocky the mascot, there’s no doubt Watson has shown he can play a major role for the Nuggets.
If Watson can get Vandeweghe and Karl on the same page, that alone will be worth $29 million.
Staff writer Mark Kiszla can be reached at 303-820-5438 or mkiszla@denverpost.com.
