With his contract set to expire in August, Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe has no indication how much longer he’ll have the position. But when asked directly Tuesday if he expected to return to the team for next season, the GM did not talk like a man expecting the answer to be yes.
“Let me answer it this way: This is a place that I love working in,” he said. “I love the players here. It’s got great people. It’s a great city. I love the fans. I really have an emotional attachment to the city. It’s a tough question.”
Vandeweghe said he plans to meet with owner Stan Kroenke soon to discuss his status. Approached Monday in Los Angeles after his team’s season-ending playoff loss, Kroenke declined to comment.
Coach George Karl said he talked with Vandeweghe on Tuesday but got no feel for what might happen.
“I think I’ve been supportive of Stan and of Kiki and wherever it falls, I want to end up being supportive of both of them, wherever it goes,” Karl said. “I don’t know if that’s politically correct, but that’s the relationship. I have a good relationship with Stan, and I think I have a good relationship with Kiki.”
Karl said he didn’t want to get personally involved and anger either one.
Nuggets stars Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby have endorsed Vandeweghe’s return in recent days.
If the Nuggets were to make a change, it would stand to reason they would do it soon. Teams usually try to have new executives in place ahead of the draft, which will be held June 28 this year.
However, there is less pressure on the Nuggets because they have only a second-round pick this season.
