Denver Post sports writer Benjamin Hochman posts his Nuggets Mailbag on Tuedays during the 2010-11 NBA season.
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The Nuggets are loaded in talent now after the Melo trade to The Knicks. Looking ahead, who do you think will be traded or not re-signed next season? Could The Nuggets try to acquire more draft picks in trades?
—Mr. C, Arvada
Mr. C: Hope you’re great. Every time I hear a reference to “Mr. C,” I think of my favorite Conan O’Brien moment, when Conan (who refers to himself as “Mr. C”) decides to go — follow me on this —
It’s absolutely zany. At one point, instead of picking the apples, Conan gets Mr. T to taunt the apple hanging from the tree.
“HEY APPLE,” Mr. T screams.
As for the Denver Knuggets, of course there are many questions to be answered this summer. Right now, the front office is excitedly watching how the new group works together. Nene, as written, is a priority, and it’s my understanding that he will likely get a three-year contract (though there are many steps to this re-signing process). Arron Afflalo and Wilson Chandler are huge priorities this offseason. Both dudes are restricted free agents.
Afflalo, with his soaring stats and uncommon work ethic, is a priority. When Denver acquired Chandler in the big trade, the front office understood that he is probably the best small forward in the upcoming free agent class. And Chandler has only enhanced this thought with his play, be it his defense or his smooth pull-up jumpers, with a release so high that it seems to graze the hanging scoreboard. Now, Chandler does have this chronic ankle thing, which is something the Nuggets will monitor closely down the stretch. But he’s one heck of a talent that I can’t see Denver letting get away.
It’s still unclear what will happen with J.R. Smith (who I can see wanting a change of scenery), and Kenyon Martin (who wants to win). But right now, the current group is clicking — and it’s fun to watch.
Okay, Benjamin, I’m going to test you just for a $50 wager of mine with an adamant NBA fan. For your help, maybe I’ll send you a card. I said that there was an NBA game a long time ago, 10-15 years, that the Nuggets went into overtime and scored 0 points and the opponents scored 2. This was in Denver. Maybe Clippers, or Utah. He said impossible. Help? And you’d be golden. Have a great day. I’m a high school teacher and ex-coach. PS Love the Melo trade
—Paul DiGrande, Orland, Calif.
Paul: Looks like you won your bet with your buddy. Indeed, there was an overtime game in which Denver went scoreless, thus losing to an opponent that scored two points. It was January 13, 1997 — the Charlotte Hornets won here in Denver, 102-100, thanks to Tony Smith’s jumper with 1:29 left in the five-minute overtime.
“We ended up blowing them out 2-0 in overtime,” Hornets coach Dave Cowens said with a laugh after the game. “I can’t ever recall an overtime like that.”
Sure enough, the two points by Smith were Smith’s only two points on the night. In overtime, the Nuggets missed all 10 shot attempts, while the Hornets were 1-for-9.
And how about this one: point guard Mark Jackson tallied 18 assists for Denver, but obviously, not one in overtime. LaPhonso Ellis was Denver’s best player and he had 19 points on the night — but he fouled out just 33 seconds into the overtime.
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I recently read y wanting to prove to the Nuggets he’s a team player. He also states how he’s happy about the Nuggets winning but says he feels people don’t want him to succeed in NY. How do you feel about this?
—Gina, Denver
Gina: I found Melo’s comments interesting indeed. The Nuggets did everything they could to put Melo in the situation Melo wanted to be in. The Nuggets, backed into a corner, still granted him his wish. It doesn’t make sense that he’d think the Nuggets didn’t want him to succeed, since Denver put him in the situation he desired, in order to succeed.
Is there a chance Raymond Felton would stay after his contract expires next season? Everyone is saying we should trade him because he’s a starter, but having two borderline all-stars at PG seems like a great problem to have, plus we’ve been playing lights out with them on the floor together.
—Mike K, Newark, Del.
Mike K: Great question, man. If I was a Nuggets fan, I’d want Ray to stay. He is a bulldog of a point guard who has thrived in George Karl’s system. And like you mentioned, he and Ty Lawson have played so well together, even in the same backcourt. (.)
But, as I’ve also detected from Felton — he wants to be the starter. He wants to be The Man. It’s understandable — from Chapel Hill to Charlotte to Manhattan, the dude has been the floor general for his team. There is no question that Lawson — with that crazy combo of speed, few turnovers and a jumper — will be a great player in this league.
So, the Nuggets and Felton have to make a decicion, especially because the Nuggets (probably) won’t be able to pay both guys starting-point-guard money (Ty is still on his first contract now).
But, going back to what I talked about earlier, what if the Nuggets advance to the second round this year, keep Felton this summer (instead of trading him) and then make an awesome playoff run in 2012. That summer, Felton might have to decide if winning is more important than a bigger contract from another team.
But for now, let’s just enjoy the show.
Benjamin Hochman is in his fourth season as the Nuggets and NBA reporter for The Denver Post. for the Nuggets Mailbag. And
