Getting all of the NBA’s executives in one room would seem like a recipe for action. But a week before the trade deadline, Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe predicted more fireworks after executives return from All-Star Weekend meetings in Houston.
“Generally not a lot gets done,” said Vandeweghe, who will be there today through Saturday. “The reason is you make initial contact, but you talk to everybody anyway. When everybody’s all together, nobody wants to see anybody go off into a corner, because then they’re trading somebody.
“So, you see a lot of rumors get started there, but generally not a lot of trade talk gets done. But sometimes it happens.”
Many of the Nuggets’ recent trade rumors have involved Kenyon Martin, but Vande- weghe said the forward has not asked for a trade.
“He loves it here,” Vande- weghe said. “He loves his teammates. He loves his city. He has a really nice house. I’ve talked to him about it.”
Russell returns early
The news that Bryon Russell would dress for his first game of the season was enough of a surprise, Martin greeted the small forward by exclaiming, “I almost forgot what your number was.”
Russell underwent surgery on his right knee Nov. 4 and was not expected to return until at least next week.
Asked if he had any pent-up energy, Russell replied, “Heck, yeah. I’d better have some kind of energy, or what’s the use of me suiting up?”
Footnotes
Asked if he would appeal the NBA’s $15,000 fine for cursing near fans, Martin replied, “I’ve got nothing to say about it, so leave it alone.”
Vandeweghe reasserted the NBA’s conclusion that Martin did not address any fans nor did he send a friend into the Pepsi Center stands to confront a heckler who called Martin a “chump” Feb. 8. Vandeweghe called that fan “a little out of line.” …
Denver coach George Karl, on the win total he hopes to reach: “(Above) 45 is kind of where we want to be. I don’t know if we’ll get to 50.”
