ESPN Insider: Nuggets Survive Offseason
by RPN on Jul 28, 2010 1:26 PM MDT
Email
Printhttp://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=survivors-100728
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets weren't able to rip off Joe Dumars in a trade this year, and their efforts to use their midlevel exception were rebuffed at every turn (Jermaine O'Neal and Udonis Haslem, among others, said no thanks). With Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen both suffering from knee problems that could last well into the season, Denver was desperate to come up with a frontcourt player.
Enter the creative contract for Al Harrington, a five-year deal for the full midlevel that, with partial guarantees in the last two years, contractually looks more like a three-year, $27 million deal. While Harrington isn't the defender Utah was hoping to nab, he offers a completely new dimension. The Nuggets haven't had a floor-spacing big man in roughly a century, and it should give Carmelo Anthony in particular a lot more breathing room on the blocks.
Denver also got good value by inking Shelden Williams to a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum. I saw enough of the Shelden Experience in Atlanta to know what a frustrating offensive player he is, but as a hard-working banger off the pine you could do a lot worse than this guy. The Nuggets need somebody to soak up frontcourt minutes in the first half of the season without killing them; Williams can do that.
The Nuggets' future is still tenuous -- Anthony is weighing whether to sign an extension, while Nene, J.R. Smith and Martin can become free agents after the season. But if Melo stays, the expiration of Martin's deal will relieve Denver from a painful stint in luxury-tax territory and it has kept a ton of flexibility for 2011-12 and beyond, including the aforementioned options in Years 4 and 5 of Harrington's deal.
Write respectfully of your SB Nation community and yourself.
20 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Can't really say we "survived"
The Front Office hasn’t addressed the real problems….rebounding and defense.
All we really did was grab another offensive threat. We’re still going to get burned in the paint, only worse.
Chris Andersen could be in a porno with his 'stache. Too bad he still wouldn't know how to box out.
Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
Does anyone in the media proofread anymore?!
While Harrington isn’t the defender Utah was hoping to nab, he offers a completely new dimension.
This is Denver… Colorado…. USA… Earth
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 28, 2010 3:40 PM MDT reply actions
maybe it means
Harrington is not Raja Bell.
Gotcha
Thanks for clearing that up. I’m not an espn ‘insider’ so it was a nonsequitor to me without the rest of the article.
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 29, 2010 12:16 PM MDT up reply actions
no, actually, I think it was a typo
Garrett’s explanation below might be right, but it still doesn’t make sense to refer to Utah at all in this context.
Why was I trying to make sense out of what I thought was a typo? I don’t know.
i meant to say
spread the floor haha
"Don't chase the money, chase the dream"
Quitters People United Member #71
by Garrett Olsen on Jul 29, 2010 6:16 PM MDT up reply actions
Utah wanted Harrington
he’s saying Utah wanted a big who could spreak the floor like Harrington.
"Don't chase the money, chase the dream"
Quitters People United Member #71
by Garrett Olsen on Jul 29, 2010 12:01 AM MDT up reply actions
Nugs are ok...IF
They can get a defensive/rebounding big for KMart. It will happen, I am just slightly worried for the first half of the season. Also we can hope for a KMart buyout/return and we would be pretty loaded.
The good news, I still think the rest of the West is pretty weak outside of the Lakers.
F%&$ the Lakers for signing Blake and Matt Barnes. They are the only team that seems to improve even if they lose players.
The rest of the West...
Dallas is a perennial too much talent and not enough chemistry team. I don’t know why everyone sips on Houston’s kool-aid, I don’t think Yao can stay on the court that long and Miller ain’t an all-star anymore.
The Sun will set on Phoenix. It is not that Amare made them that good, it is just that Turkoglu, Childress, and Warrick won’t be able to replace him. Five quarters don’t make a quarter in the NBA.
OKC is Denver from 2005, I still think Melo is better than KD right now, but only slightly. OKC needs a good vet like Billups and I would worry a ton about them.
POR is screwed up b/c of Oden. Utah needs Boozer, Matthews, Okur (f%^&ed b/c of that Achilles… don’t beleive me? See Elton Brand), and Korver. Jefferson sucks at pick and roll, he is a post player who wants to play iso. Raja Bell is not as young as he used to be and I don’t think Gordan Hayward can turn into a Korver that quickly
SA could be good, but now they are too old. Injury watch (Manu, TD, and a fake one for TP who wants to be in NYC).
The rest of the West sucks. After looking at it like that, only LAL and the Timberwolves scare me…ok maybe not the TWolves (Kahnnnnnnn)
exactly... a big like Biedrins or Okafor would do wonders for this team...
we don’t need anymore scorers… we need a rebounder and low post defender…
going out on a limb...
Shelden W has no offense to speak of, but is an OK defender and a good rebounder: I agree with Hollinger that he will contribute.
Other cheap bigs?
Can Fesenko play any D, or is he a stiff at both ends? Could he be worth a min contract as a banger with 6 fouls to give until Bird gets healthy? Just asking…
Fresenko is a stiff IMO
But he’s a bulky 7 foot stiff (enforcer?) that can eat up the paint. He obviously frustrated Nene last season, but Frenchie seemed to be able to get around his impregnable “stand in the paint for 10 seconds” defense.
To be honest, I think that if Fresenko played in any other city (let’s face it Utah has a mean home court advantage) he would have fouled out every game. I’d rather go after Mbenga. He’s only slightly smaller but much more athletic, still young too.
FIGJAM Bitches!
Via con Dios Brody
Q.P.U. # π
by Joelsopinion on Jul 29, 2010 9:04 AM MDT up reply actions
+1
Fesenko’s game was anomalous in that series
by Artimus Mangilord on Jul 29, 2010 12:19 PM MDT up reply actions
i think sheldon williams
may be another sneaky nuggets pickup. at least i’m hoping so. If he can contribute solid defensive minutes at least until birdman and k-mart return at 100%, then i would be very pleased.
Sheldon "The Landlord" Williams
While I don’t generally visit the official Nuggets site during the offseason, I did enjoy the Sheldon Williams article.
I guess Sheldon was a two time NCAA defensive player of the year. The problem is that he was also considered to be close to his ceiling by the time he was drafted (I mean the ceiling of his potential and not of his various rental properties).
I like the spirit of the article, though, as it presents the hope that Shelden will rediscover his defensive ability. Maybe his natural defensive intelligence will overcome the initial humbling he’s received from playing against NBA-caliber athletes. He might also prove to be a smart team defender.
I’d love to see it, but I’m still setting that bar real low.
Unlike Boston, he's actually going to see playing time
Think of this way, even if he sucks, at least Candice Parker will be around more.
Chris Andersen could be in a porno with his 'stache. Too bad he still wouldn't know how to box out.
Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Andrew Feinstein
(denverstiffs@gmail.com)
Nate Timmons
(ntimmons73@yahoo.com)
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
DENVER STIFFS T-SHIRTS!
Enter your email for updates
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
