After an exile from his current team for the final three games of the playoffs, Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin found some solace with his old team Monday, cheering on the New Jersey Nets in their 100-88 second-round win at Miami.
Speaking publicly for the first time since Denver suspended him for refusing to re-enter the Game 2 loss at the Los Angeles Clippers, Martin told the New York Daily News that he does not yet know if matters have grown irreconcilable between himself and the Nuggets.
Asked if he wants to start over elsewhere, Martin replied: “I don’t know, man. I ain’t ready to make that decision. Like I said, I’m still there. I’m going to ride it out. Whatever happens, happens. I have no control over it. I’m not going to stay up nights thinking about it.”
He added that he has not had contact with management recently and does not know how to predict his future until the team finds a general manager to replace Kiki Vandeweghe.
Reporters asked Martin about rumors tying him to the New York Knicks.
“There’s a lot of talk about me and a lot of teams, from what I hear,” he replied. “So it is what it is. Who started it? Who knows?”
Martin declined to address his relationship with Denver coach George Karl, who suspended him after he blew up at the coach and teammates at halftime of the game that led to his suspension.
Martin’s limited practice time because of his recovery from left knee surgery was a source of disagreement between the forward and Karl during the season. Martin said Monday that his knee felt well.
Life without Kiki
Life went on for the Nuggets’ front office Monday, the first working day since Vande- weghe’s departure.
Assistant general manager David Fredman continued to work on Denver’s 2006-07 preseason schedule while assistant GM Jeff Weltman did his normal job of coordinating draft workouts, which begin Thursday.
“Today was a very normal day,” Fredman said. “I don’t know that today was any different from any last week.”
Fredman said they expect to receive direction today about the interim structure of the front office while the team searches for Vandeweghe’s replacement.
Footnote
The Nuggets’ new Broomfield-based minor-league affiliate, the Colorado 14ers, was announced officially Monday as one of seven new teams in the 12-team NBA Development League.
Adam Thompson can be reached at 303-820-5447 or athompson@denverpost.com.