Arron Affalo: 'It's All About Winning' As Denver Nuggets Restricted Free Agent Awaits End Of Lockout

For NBA free agents and restricted free agents, the lockout is certainly taking its toll on them. At least the players already under contract know where they will play once the two sides come to an agreement on a new labor deal (however long that takes). For restricted free agent Arron Afflalo, the lockout is giving him plenty of time to think about where he wants to play once things clear up.

In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated, Afflalo spoke about free agency and said that he believed for most of last season that he would just re-sign with the Nuggets. But as his role increased with the team he thought about moving on:

But obviously as the offseason goes on and changes are made, you have to weigh your options. My gut at the end of the season was that I’d be back in Denver, but you have to keep your options open. And for me, it’s all about winning.

Afflalo goes on to mention that the Chicago Bulls would be a dream destination, but he doesn't know about the amount of money he would accept yet.

If Afflalo signs elsewhere and the Nuggets don't match the offer, the Nuggets would be in an even deeper hole. J.R. Smith, Wilson Chandler and Kenyon Martin are all free agents and will play in China for a year (unless they are able to get out of their contracts).

For more on the Nuggets, visit Denver Stiffs. Check out SB Nation NBA for more on the lockout.

Ty Lawson's 4th-Year Option Picked Up By Nuggets

When the Denver Nuggets traded Chauncey Billups in the Carmelo Anthony deal to the New York Knicks, it was apparent that backup Ty Lawson would become the starter. Even with receiving Raymond Felton in return, the Nuggets decided they would still go with Lawson. And now what was pretty much a given has come to fruition: the Nuggets exercised the fourth-year option (2012-13) on Lawson's contract.

In his second year, Lawson averaged 11.7 points, 4.7 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 80 games. As a starter in 31 games, he put up 14.6 points, 6.7 assists and 3.5 rebounds. Before the start of the 2010-11 season, the Nuggets picked up the third-year option on Lawson's contract for the 2011-12 season.

Lawson will be on the books in 2012-13 for just over $2.5 million and will enter restricted free agency in summer 2013. As a result of all of this, Raymond Felton looks more than expendable in a trade to shore up some other position on the court. Will the Nuggets look to draft another point guard on Thursday in the 2011 NBA Draft?

Arron Afflalo Offered Qualifying Offer By Nuggets; Wilson Chandler, Gary Forbes Also Enter RFA

While they wait for Nene to make the final decision on the option year in his contract, the Denver Nuggets extended qualifying offers to three of their soon-to-be-restricted free agents: Arron Afflalo, Wilson Chandler and Gary Forbes. Now the Nuggets can match any offer the players may receive when free agency starts in July.

Though he played in just 69 games as a result of injury, Afflalo put up career-highs with 33.7 minutes, 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in the 2010-11 season. Shooting 49.8 percent from the field, Afflalo often came up with key shots throughout the season.

Chandler was acquired before the NBA Trade Deadline as part of the Carmelo Anthony deal. His scoring dipped to 12.5 points in 21 games with the Nuggets, and depending on where the Nuggets go with the No. 22 draft pick on Thursday Chandler may be one player the Nuggets let go.

Gary Forbes joined Marcus Camby as a former UMass player to be on the Nuggets' roster. The 26-year-old rookie averaged 5.2 points in 12.6 minutes. He appeared in 63 games and started 11 throughout the season.