# Watch March Madness



## nbanoitall (May 21, 2004)

Pau Gasol going down kinda helps us. Ideally the Nuggets get the 8th seed and we play Houston or New Orleans (well hey at least I can hope). So I suppose there is hope we make the playoffs and get out of the first round.
However I think the answer to this teams problems after this year is going with a young group of guys around Melo. We I believe we at least have one first and second round pick. Plus we can always trade for more. I want to hear the guys you are interested in drafting...and if you think its possible to land them.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

I'm convinced that the nuggets can beat any team except for the lakers.

After that, Sa, then NO are the biggest threats, and they're the favorites against everybody else to me.

I'm more worried about the nuggets winning now than the seeding. The west is so close that probably all of the seeds will change by april.

As for the second part, I agree. Even if they won the title, AI and Camby are going to start aging fast... they've been miraculous this year, but it won't hold up... something I've been dreading for the past 4 years or so.


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## pac4eva5 (Dec 29, 2005)

camby needs to be traded no matter what happens this season. and i think he will.

i dont buy into iverson "aging" soon. ive been hearing it the last couple years. he still the fastest player to ever play this game. and will be for more than a few years. the guy is genetic freak. whether or not he takes a giant pay cut restructure-type thing next season and stays with the nuggets is another story.

anyways, i dont buy into the whole "we need a PG" crap either. but if iverson isnt with us in the next year or 2, we better damn focus on one. JR smith is our SG for a while (assuming karl is fired after this season?).


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

> i dont buy into iverson "aging" soon. ive been hearing it the last couple years. he still the fastest player to ever play this game. and will be for more than a few years. the guy is genetic freak. whether or not he takes a giant pay cut restructure-type thing next season and stays with the nuggets is another story.


I sure hope you're right, but he's been visibly slowing down for a couple years now. His intelligence is vastly underrated, so he hasn't gotten worse, but at some point, its bound to happen.


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## darth-horax (Nov 21, 2005)

I love Camby, but his gimpy background makes him more of a liability as his age increases.

I say that we trade Camby for either a SG who can start right away (I like JR coming off the bench in sixth man of the year mode) like Ben Gordon. Then, we ought to be able to draft either Kevin Love or Roy Hibbert with our first rounder that would replace Camby.

I say we use our second round pick on the most athletic player availalbe, which very well could be Richard Roby. He would THRIVE in oru system, not just cause of the way it's set up, but becuase his brother KMart would kick his butt if he did anythign to make him look stupid.

I'd also like to see if we could package both our first and second rounders to either:
a) move up in the top 8 to grab Mayo or Beasley
b) trade wtih Sacto to get Ron Ron after a sign and trade (or something like that with some other team)

I'd like to see if Denver coudl pick up JJ Redick or Matt Carroll as a spot shooter to help spread the D.

Either way, I think we see what Chucky Atkins can do for this squad in his brief time on the floor. I think we need to give him one more year in Denver before shipping him out, which theoretically coudl make Anthony Carter expendable...especially with Taurean Green being primed for future PG duties.

I think it's time to start CONSIDERING trading Nene. He's my favorite player on the team, but he's too expensive to be riding the pine for every year. If he can't get healthy, ship him out to rid the team of his $10 mill/year salary.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

what!? Are you crazy? You want to trade camby for a sg when the team is already 2 good ones deep, and leave them without a good center?


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## darth-horax (Nov 21, 2005)

I said (or meant) I'd trade Camby IF we coudl get a high enough draft pick to get eihter Love or Hibbert.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

If they do that, Iverson should be traded too. No point in making a youth movement with him on the roster.

But I don't like the Gordon/Smith combination. Gordon shouldn't be a starting sg. He's got Iverson's size weakness, but his strengths don't measure up.


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## jericho (Jul 12, 2002)

pac4eva5 said:


> anyways, i dont buy into the whole "we need a PG" crap either. but if iverson isnt with us in the next year or 2, we better damn focus on one. JR smith is our SG for a while (assuming karl is fired after this season?).



I buy whole-heartedly into the whole "we need a PG" crap. Either that a new coach who does one of two things: bribes or brainwashes AI into making it his personnal mission to lead the NBA in assists, or institute a triangle offense. 

Iverson is a great playmaker from the SG position; he's just not a pass-first guy who instinctually looks to feed the post or for open cutters before sizing up his own scoring opportunities.

Anthony is emerging as a very effective passer when he wants to be, and Camby is one of the better-passing big men in the league right now. Let's say we finagle Kevin Love in the draft, and we have some excellent playmakers at various positions who just need the right offensive scheme to maximize that potential. 

But without one of the above changes, I fear we're going to be looking at a steady diet of isolation plays until Iverson retires.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

How the **** can this team come all half-assed against the _pistons_!? They just have no desire to win on the road, it's absolutely pathetic (this is at the end of the 1st)


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

this is an embarrassment. I hate rooting for this team. no desire whatsoever.


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## nbanoitall (May 21, 2004)

If we are in the late teens or 20 Kevin Love could be gone. I'm not too high on Hibbert. I think we might want to consider trading the pick. Trade up or down.
I'm not suggested trading AI because he is going to suck next year either. I'm not suggesting he is declining. I think for the overall good of the organization the Nuggets need to shop vets.
Assuming we cant get a Redd or Hamilton back from Iverson I would still try to move him. One example I can think of is with the Cavs. Another one with the Raptors. AI for Nesterovic, Parker, Humphries, Baston. Plus their 1st and 2nd round pick. Everyone but Humphries is expiring. I think youd play parker and maybe see how Humphries does, but I'd probably try and work a buyout for Baston and maybe even Rasho (depending on roster needs).
Then I wondered what team would want Marcus Camby. I thought the Magic might. Battie, Cook, Foyle for Camby. (only battie would be a non expiring contract). Plus the magic give up their first round pick.
So basically you have 3 first round picks and 2 second round picks. 
Plus I think you an get rid of Kmart. The Mavs will be desperate enough for him over the summer. Trade Jason Terry, Eddie Jones & an a sign a trade *min with Juwan Howard. You waive howard and jones. Keep Terry. This works for the Mavs. Kidd, Stack, Howard, Dirk, and Kmart is better group of guys than they have.
So then you have the following guys
Melo SF
Nene PF/C
Hunter PF/C
Atkins PF/C
JR Smith SG (if you strike a deal)
Kleiza F
Terry G
Humphries PF
parker g/f
Green (waive)
Plus your 5 draft picks 
I'd bring back Anthony Carter as well. Then add your 5 draft picks and you've got 15 players. No idea how good that team is, but at least you have youth and your are trying to build a team that can fit Melo and grow with him.
I think even with that roster you might get surprised with how it gets put together. But also you probably send some of the new guys down to the D league to play too. Id look at it as a developing year. Whatever you win you win. If I couldnt work a deal for Hamilton or Redd Id go that route.


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## darth-horax (Nov 21, 2005)

Ugh...that roster wuoldn't even GET to the playoffs, let alone win one game.
I guarantee you that if we go full-fledged into rebuilding mode, Denver will lose Carmelo Anthony within 2 years. Remember the McDyess situation?

Draft pix are no good to Denver as long as GK is coach. He simply deosnt' play rookies. Second rounders are totally useless to him, and even first rounders can't get off of the bench.


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## Timmons (May 25, 2005)

darth-horax said:


> I guarantee you that if we go full-fledged into rebuilding mode, Denver will lose Carmelo Anthony within 2 years.


I have a terrible feeling that Melo is destined to leave this team when his contract is up. His loyalties still are in the East. He still talks about being a New York Knick...

If you look at the Knicks...they may be able to somehow clear enough space to try to make a LeBron run, but Bron-Bron has been saying he will stay in Cleveland so the Knicks may make a serious run at Melo.

Now I don't much care if Melo leaves, but I don't really know what type of sign and trade Denver will be able to get if a lousy team like the Knicks comes calling.

It really seems to me that the current Nuggets team is making the effort at least in the front office to load up for a title run (but the Artest failure seemed to go against that). 

So I think:
A.) You don't win the title in the next year or two you have an Old Camby and Iverson and an older KMart...and you are in a horrible horrible basketball state...

Will Melo stick out a rebuilding process? (Either now or a few years from now??) I don't think he will. I just don't seem him as really loving this city and not wanting to get back East and trying to become the hero type player that Marbury didn't do...


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## Timmons (May 25, 2005)

Now with the above said...it's obvious the Nuggets weaknesses.

1.) Defensive Effort
2.) Sharing the ball on a consistant basis

Can Ron Artest turn the whole thing around? I don't know, but it's probably worth a shot. I say Denver should ante up in the offseason and make the Artest trade work - give up Kleiza. I was against trading him and they might not be able to move him now, but it's worth a shot.

Kleiza - his future seems to be a steady bench scorer. Sometimes capable of putting up big numbers and often times not producing at all. 
Things he does well:
1.) Shoot the 3
2.) Hustle
3.) Dunk the ball

He can't really create or shoot the 2-point shot very well. He may improve, but I think JR Smith makes him expendible. JR shoots the 3 and can drive...he's more complete...though he plays a different position.

And the:
Iverson
Artest
Melo
Kmart
Camby 

gives Denver 2 great defenders (Camby and Artest) and a very good defender (Kmart) on the floor.

I guess in hindsight I would have liked to see what this more defensive roster could ahve done versus the one we have now that thinks it can outscore everyone.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

why do you think denver will get artest? There's absolutely no reason he'd come here.


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## darth-horax (Nov 21, 2005)

He's opting out of his contract in Sacto. He'd love to play for a coach who doesn't care.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

It doesn't matter. All the nuggets can offer him is the MLE, and he's looking for MORE money. Plus, any trade over the summer will cost them more than Kleiza and Najera.


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## nbanoitall (May 21, 2004)

btw considering all this melo going back east talks. that doesn't make a lot of sense. just because Melo grew up idolizing playing for an east coast team doesn't mean he's going to leave the Nuggets. look at how wade and lebron handled their contracts compared to melo. The Nuggets shouldn't be afraid to rebuild correctly.
If you dont get a good deal for hamilton or redd... i see no reason why not to rebuild correctly.


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## Sliccat (Oct 16, 2004)

I don't see how melo would leave... doesn't his extension last another four years?


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## darth-horax (Nov 21, 2005)

I honestly can't recall at the moment the length of his contract.

I'm starting to think that AI would be better off as trade bait. I maen, he's awesome, but Denver had no problem scoring before he came out here. If we could trade AI and Najera/Kleiza for somebody like a Redd or Richard Hamilton...I say do it. 

I really don't see AI winning a championship here. Our team is good, but they don't gel well. We need some point guard (cough...Andre Miller...cough) who can run the team the way they need to be run. We need bench consistency and tougher defense on the perimeter. Our post D is alright, but ti would be so much stronger if the guards pressured the other team more effectively to funnel the O where they want them to be.

I love AI, but I think it's time to go. If he were younger I'd propose shipping out Melo, but that's not happening any time soon.

I wish it were possible to trade AI and filler for DWade, but I don't see it happening any time soon.


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## zaca22 (Mar 19, 2008)

i just hope that we make a spot for the playoffs as well. nice post m8. anyway jarmario moon is lokking to move and i really want to get a good player to replace camby and his D.


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