This offseason like all the ones before is full of rumors, trade scenarios and excitement for the possibility of the nuggets going all out and making the right moves to make the team champions.  Im with all of you in wanting this to happen but what if it doesnt? again.

We as fans seem to want different things as opposed to the owner.  We want a Championship in Denver at whatever cost but Stan wants to make money and not pay it.

First of all our salary situation

If we dont get something done before this season and watch all other teams in the west get better. again our hopes of the championship will continue to take hits.  If this season isnt the one then how about 2012?

We currentley have 22 million in expiring contracts for next season.  If we dont end up trading them they could be a good start towards making 2012 the year. 

What we need to do:

 

2011 - resign melo, keep the team the same and advise them that 2012 will be the year. Trade our 2011 pick or something for a 2010 one and draft a player like Hassan whiteside or Craig brackins as a project big and get them trained up for the next year. -Trade Renaldo Balkman to the Charlotte bobcats for Alexis Ajinca

                                                 -Trade Birdman at deadline while his value is high for a expiring

                                                 -Sign players to 1 year deals again (maybe petro and graham again)

Think of it as a year of competitve building.  Play Lawson more and Afflalo will get better.  Allow rookie big to get used to nba and give chauncey rest.  Make playoffs and get more experience in them making Denver a good place for free agents.

 

2012 - Kmart and J.R have expired.  Getting rid of Bird and Balkman get an extra 5 mill expiring.  Chauncey has a team option and being a team man near the end of his career wanting a title may allow the team to decline his option and sign to his last contract. This would give us around 20 million in cap space.  enough to sign one top free agent and a number of role players some good players could be avaliable.

 

Al Horford - Atlanta can match any offer on Al but if they resign Joe Johnson this year to max deal they may not be able to afford to give horford a big contract and decide to go for a different free agent for cheaper

 

Jamal Crawford - See above

 

Joakim Noah - Again Chicago can match any offer but if they sign big this season they may not afford to match offers on Noah.  Depending how much we would offer him

 

Caron Butler - Played at SG could provide good scoring complements to Melo

 

Marc Gasol - If he doesnt sign an extension he will be high on the Nuggets priorities

 

David West - Likely to opt out and seek a real contract.  NOH likely will try to resign but we would have to convince him that we are the best chance for sucess

 

Others include Michael Redd, Jason Richardson, Carl Landry, Tony Parker and Zach Randolph

I dont know too much about once we go over the cap how we get our salary back to the 70 mill mark? (bird rights and all that stuff) but we could be hot favourites for the championship and be still pretty good in terms of money

 

Ideal 2012 team

 

Melo - 19 mil
West/Horford - 10 mil
Nene - 11 mil
AAA - 3 mil
CB1 - 2 mil (backload contract to allow for signings)

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Lawson - 2 mil
2010 rookie - 1 mil
Kmart - vet min
J - Rich/Caron/ - 6 mil
Landry - MLE
Leon Powe - Bi annual
Joey Graham - 3 mil

Hopefully the team could work that out and the players agree to the plan.  Nene could also opt out to allow for more signings then agree to a new contract becuse of his bird rights?

So what would you guys think about making 2012 the year we win it?  Does this plan make any sense or should we just try this year/ trade away expirings