The Nuggets are playing a solemn waiting game, awaiting test results that will diagnose exactly what Nene faces in a personal health situation that has forced the forward to take an immediate, indefinite leave from the team.
Nuggets coach George Karl expects to know Nene’s exact situation as early as midweek.
“I think in the next few days we’ll have more information,” said Karl, following Saturday’s light practice session.
Until then, some players have already called or text-messaged the Brazilian big man with well-wishes. If time permits before the Nuggets’ upcoming two-game road trip, players would like to get face time with Nene as well.
“I think some of the guys are wanting to do that,” Karl said.
Said Marcus Camby: “I don’t know what’s going on with him, what’s his schedule like or what’s pretty much going on. If the situation calls for it, we’ll definitely see him.”
Camby said Karl pulled him aside, as well as Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson, “a couple days ago” to brief the trio of captains on Nene’s developing situation before telling the rest of the team.
“Just heard he was dealing with some personal stuff, and we should know more in the next couple of days,” Camby said. “They say it’s health-related, but I don’t know specifics. Now we’re just waiting to see what happens. This basketball stuff is fantasy. The stuff off the court is reality, real life. So you just hope everything is all right.”
On the court, the Nuggets will proceed in much the same manner as they did earlier this season, when Nene missed six weeks due to a torn thumb ligament. Kenyon Martin saw a spike in his playing time, but that could be hard to duplicate as he works through hamstring issues.
Still, Martin said, “Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do. So if I have to play more, I’ll play more.”
Until Nene’s absence on Friday, Martin had not played more than 27 minutes in any of the five games since his return from a strained hamstring on Dec. 26. On Friday against the Magic, Martin played 38 minutes.
Karl plans to increase Martin’s minutes one game at a time.
“I’m not going to predict anything,” Karl said. “I would probably say I would like that to become gradual, rather than commit to it. But, you know, winning games and the spur of the moment in the game, sometimes you deny your common sense and you go with what wins games.”
Though his return from the thumb injury was a brief seven games, Nene’s presence on the block will be missed. Anthony posts up from time to time during the course of a game, but the team no longer has an every-possession player it can dump the ball down to and expect to get a bucket or a foul or both.
“We have to rely on Carmelo a lot, scoring the ball down there on the block,” Camby said. “But I think if we can get our fast break going and get ourselves some easy baskets, it would alleviate a lot of pressure on everybody.”
Center Steven Hunter’s return could help take stress off the big men. Hunter recently returned to practice after having knee surgery on Nov. 16.
Still, basketball has once again been put in perspective for a team hoping a teammate is all right.
“(Nene) has to make sure his life is all right first,” Camby said. “We would love to have him back on the court this season, but if not, eventually he’ll be back out there.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
