Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin has no plans to opt out of his contract at the end of this season.
“They could have sent in that paperwork that day (I signed the contract),” Martin said Friday during Nuggets media day. “No, I ain’t opting out of nothing. I worked for that (money). I want that.”
As a result, Martin will make nearly $17 million next season in the last year of his pact. He could have opted out of the deal and become a free agent next summer. He originally signed the seven-year, $92.5 million contract in 2004.
Martin is coming off arguably his best season with the Nuggets, bouncing back from two microfracture surgeries to play a pivotal role. He averaged 11.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks in 66 games.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets will have a quick decision to make on the contract of swingman Arron Afflalo, whom they traded for this summer. Still under his rookie contract, he has a team option that must be picked up by Oct. 31 or he’ll be an unrestricted free agent next summer. The option year would pay Afflalo around $2 million.
Afflalo said there has been no talk about that between him and the Nuggets.
“I’m not even thinking about that,” he said.
Melo wants new deal for Karl.
Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said he’d like to see coach George Karl get a contract extension.
“Yeah, I don’t see why not,” Anthony said. “We came a long way with George. Throughout the course of the years, as an organization we’ve had our bumps in the road with George, and we smoothed it out. So, I would love to see George come back.”
Then Anthony quipped: “I’m pretty sure he won’t get a six-year extension like he did last time.”
Karl is in the last year of his contract, and another deal has not yet been offered.
Footnotes.
Training camp roster invitees are forward Keith Brumbaugh, guard Dontaye Draper and center Kurt Looby. Preseason practice begins today. . . . The Nuggets signed swingman Joey Graham to a nonguaranteed deal. . . . A slightly thinner Chauncey Billups said he dropped a few pounds over the summer. . . . J.R. Smith will wear No. 5, and first-round draft pick Ty Lawson has settled on No. 3. Chris Dempsey, The Denver Post
