SB Nation Denver - Denver Nuggets Offseason 2012: JaVale McGee Agrees To 4-Year, $44 Million Dealhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48907/denver-fave.png2012-09-05T18:40:54-06:00http://denver.sbnation.com/rss/stream/27911282012-09-05T18:40:54-06:002012-09-05T18:40:54-06:00Nuggets Tender Offer To Quincy Miller, Per Agent
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<p>The <a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Nuggets</a> have tendered a non-guaranteed contract to second-round pick <span>Quincy Miller</span>, Miller's agent Dwon Clifton <a href="http://www.denverstiffs.com/2012/9/5/3295367/millers-agent-nuggets-have-tendered-offer-quincy-miller-denver" target="_blank">told Nate Timmons of Denver Stiffs</a>.</p>
<p>By offering a contract to Miller, the Nuggets retained the rights to the rookie, whom Denver chose out of Baylor with the 38th overall pick in the 2012 NBA drat. At this point, it's up to Miller and his agent to decide whether to accept the deal and begin his career with the Nuggets, or to restart the negotiation process in search of a guaranteed deal.</p>
<p>The Nuggets have one spot available on their roster, and Miller appears to have enough upside to have an inside track at the job, provided he takes the offer. The 19-year-old forward averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds as a freshman during the 2011-12 season, sharing Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors with Oklahoma State's Le'Bryan Nash.</p>
<p><i>For more on the Nuggets, be sure to visit <a href="http://www.denverstiffs.com" target="_blank">Denver Stiffs</a>. For more pro basketball coverage, head over to <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba" target="_blank">SB Nation's NBA hub</a>.</i></p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2012/9/5/3295452/quincy-miller-contract-denver-nuggetsBryan Kilpatrick2012-08-22T15:09:46-06:002012-08-22T15:09:46-06:00George Karl Thinks Nuggets 'Can Be A Top Four Team In The West'
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<p><a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Nuggets</a> head coach <span>George Karl</span> joined KFFN in Denver Wednesday to discuss his team's offseason moves and in the process, made a bold assessment of Denver's chances next season:</p>
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<p>"We are excited about this season and we think we can be a top four team in the West. If we get to a top four team in the West we should expect to try to win the first round and see what happens after that."</p>
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<p>While this prediction won't be considered too adventurous to some after the acquisition of <span>Andre Iguodala</span>, the Nuggets have steadily been moving in the wrong direction for three years now. After locking up the fourth seed in the West back in 2010, Denver has fallen to the fifth seed in 2011, then sixth seed in 2012. All of this happened while managing to not win a single playoff series. Karl is confident that will change in this upcoming year, though, with Igodala being the "top-10 defender" they were sorely missing.</p>
<p>The 61-year-old head coach went on to say in the interview that his Nuggets will still "commit to playing fast." And while he acknowledged he still hears the critics claiming his system won't work, Karl remains steadfast that speed is a necessity:</p>
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<p>"We talked about it and last year we did a good job at it but there's no way I want to slow down. I want to try to prove the world wrong that you can run and win in the NBA and you can win big if you keep running."</p>
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<p>Despite the calendar still being in August, it seems that Karl is a man already decidedly determined to show the NBA a thing or two this season.</p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2012/8/22/3261151/george-karl-denver-nuggets-2012Cody Ulm2012-08-21T11:32:40-06:002012-08-21T11:32:40-06:00Denver Nuggets Projected 5th In West By ESPN
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<p>While the addition of <span>Andre Iguodala</span> has improved the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a>, the team is still one step below the elite in the Western Conference, a position they've been in ever since <span>Carmelo Anthony</span> soured on the Nuggets after their 2009 run to the WCF.</p>
<p>That, at least, is how <a href="http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8273800/2012-nba-summer-forecast-west-standings">ESPN.com's newest computer projections have it</a>, as the site recently ran simulations to predict the win-loss records of all 30 NBA teams.</p>
<p>Denver is projected to go 50-32, which would place them in a tie for fourth with the LA <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.clipsnation.com/">Clippers</a>, behind the new-look LA <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.poundingtherock.com/">San Antonio Spurs</a>. That translates into a winning percentage of 61%, a bump from the 58% number the Nuggets posted in 2012, when they finished with the No. 6 seed out West.</p>
<p>If the Nuggets do outperform their projections it's likely to come from the improvement from young players -- <span>Ty Lawson</span>, <span>Danilo Gallinari</span>, Javale McGee -- who may have not yet hit their peak in terms of production at the NBA level.</p>
<p><i>Head over to <a href="http://www.denverstiffs.com">Denver Stiffs</a> for more Nuggets coverage, and be sure to check out <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">SB Nation's NBA hub</a> for more news from around the league.</i></p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/2012/8/21/3258190/denver-nuggets-record-2012-2013-projectiontjarks2012-08-17T11:00:57-06:002012-08-17T11:00:57-06:00Ty Lawson Contract: Masai Ujiri Reiterates Nuggets Want To Extend PG
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> took a big step this offseason with the acquisition of <span>Andre Iguodala</span>, with the big news coming out of yesterday's press conference that the all-star would <a target="_blank" href="http://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nuggets/2012/8/16/3247993/andre-iguodala-denver-nuggets-contract-extension/in/2994679">doesn't want to just be a short-term option </a>and would be open to ending his career in Denver.</p>
<p>Another nugget to come from yesterday's meeting with the press is that GM Masai Ujiri is seeking to sign guard <span>Ty Lawson</span> to a long-term contract. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_21332786/denvers-dre-stay">From the Denver Post:</a></p>
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<p>Ujiri already has said he wants to sign point guard Ty Lawson to a long-term deal, and Lawson told The Denver Post last May that he was excited about that possibility. If Ujiri and team president Josh Kroenke can re-sign their backcourt, that will give Denver a thrilling nucleus going forward, knowing small forwards <span>Danilo Gallinari</span> and <span>Wilson Chandler</span> and center <span>JaVale McGee</span> are already signed for years to come.</p>
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<p>If the team was able to lock up both Lawson and Iguodala long-term, it would go a long way towards making the team a legit playoff contender over at least the next few years. Lawson is scheduled to be a restricted free agent at the end of this next season, averaging 16.4 points and 6.6 assists per game last year in 61 games.</p>
<p><i>Head over to <a href="http://www.denverstiffs.com">Denver Stiffs</a> for more Nuggets coverage, and be sure to check out <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">SB Nation's NBA hub</a> for more news from around the league.</i></p>
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https://denver.sbnation.com/2012/8/17/3249730/ty-lawson-contract-denver-nuggets-masai-ujiriBrandon Worley2012-07-26T08:06:38-06:002012-07-26T08:06:38-06:00Nuggets Rumors: G Lester Hudson Drawing Denver's Interest?
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> have spent most of the 2012 NBA Free Agency period signing their own free agents to new deals, but they may still be looking for players to fill spots at the back end of the rotation. <span>Andre Miller</span> and <span>JaVale McGee</span> will certainly be the marquee signings for the summer, yet the Nuggets may still be targeting 27-year-old guard <span>Lester Hudson</span> for a backup role. The Nuggets and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.welcometoloudcity.com/">Oklahoma City Thunder</a> are <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/SamAmicoFSO/status/228221794845327360">both interested in signing Hudson</a>, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports:</p>
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<p>Teams not exactly lining up to sign free-agent G Lester Hudson, but I'm hearing Thunder & Nuggets interested. He can help someone off bench.</p>
— Sam Amico (@SamAmicoFSO) <a data-datetime="2012-07-25T20:14:50+00:00" href="https://twitter.com/SamAmicoFSO/status/228221794845327360">July 25, 2012</a>
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<p>Hudson's NBA resume is fairly lean (he has only played in 52 games over three seasons), but he has posted impressive numbers in limited action during NBA D-League action. He has averaged 16.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game over 25 D-League appearances, so perhaps <span>George Karl</span> and Masai Ujiri have seen something they've liked during that time.</p>
<p><i>For updates, stay tuned to <a href="http://denver.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Denver</a>. For all things Nuggets, visit <a href="http://denverstiffs.com/">Denver Stiffs</a>. For more comprehensive draft coverage, head over to SB Nation's <a href="http://sbnation.com/nba">NBA news hub</a>.</i></p>
https://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nuggets/2012/7/26/3188397/denver-nuggets-rumors-lester-hudsonSteve von Horn2012-07-21T09:27:01-06:002012-07-21T09:27:01-06:00Nuggets Offseason: George Karl Says Team Has 'Too Many' PF/C Prospects On Roster
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<p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> have enjoyed a busy 2012 NBA Free Agency period, but they may be creating a minutes crunch in the frontcourt for the upcoming season. Incumbent big men <span>Kenneth Faried</span>, <span>Al Harrington</span>, <span>Kosta Koufos</span> and <span>Timofey Mozgov</span> join re-signed center <span>JaVale McGee</span> and new power forward addition <span>Anthony Randolph</span> in a crowded positional grouping that head coach <span>George Karl</span> will have trouble balancing. <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/nuggets/ci_21114839/nuggets-coach-george-karl-likes-all-teams-latest" target="_blank">Karl admitted it will be a challenge to find minutes</a> for everyone in a recent interview with Benjamin Hochman of the <i>Denver Post,</i> even saying that the team has "too many" bigs:</p>
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<p>"There's no question, it's too many [players at the power forward and center positions]. It's a situation that if everybody is healthy, it's going to be a tough thing. There's no question that 1-2 players, might even be three, might not be happy with the minutes they get. But I always tell people that it's a much better situation than the opposite one. Having good players usually figures its way out - sometimes that's by trade, sometimes it just works out."</p>
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<p>In reality, this is probably a good problem for the Nuggets. Given the length of the NBA season, the premium price set on big men and inevitability of injuries, too many might be just the right amount.</p>
<p><i>Stay tuned to <a href="http://denver.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Denver</a> for continued coverage of all matters related to Denver sports. For more updates from around the league, drop by SB Nation's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">NBA news hub</a>. And for analysis and commentary focused on the Denver Nuggets, head over to the <a href="http://www.denverstiffs.com/">Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs</a>.</i></p>
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https://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nuggets/2012/7/21/3174067/nuggets-anthony-randolph-signing-george-karlSteve von Horn2012-07-20T11:26:57-06:002012-07-20T11:26:57-06:00JaVale McGee Contract: Nuggets Center Humbled By Extension, Eager To Learn
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<p>The 2011-12 <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/">Denver Nuggets</a> benefited from some excellent play down low as C <span>JaVale McGee</span> -- acquired in the trade that sent F-C <span>Nene</span> to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a> -- played the final 20 games of the season in sparkling fashion, averaging 18 points and 10.1 rebounds per 36 minutes.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, the club signed him to a <a href="http://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nuggets/2012/7/18/3168783/nuggets-sign-javale-mcgee-reportedly-for-4-years-44-million/in/2791128">four-year extension</a>, an event that brought his mother to tears and that he himself described as <a href="http://www.nba.com/nuggets/features/playoffs-personal-production-among-mcgees-2012-13-goals">"humbling":</a></p>
<blockquote>"My mother’s always more excited than I am," JaVale McGee said Thursday. "When I was signing, she started to cry. I didn’t know if I was supposed to cry or not. I had those feelings in me but I’m not a big crier. It was a humbling moment."</blockquote>
<p>And when asked about his role with the Nuggets, McGee suggested the team was keeping things simple:</p>
<blockquote>"The coaching staff put me in situations where I could succeed," McGee said. "There weren’t any plays run for me, but the coaches would say, ‘Rebound and run. No one will be able to keep up with you.’ "</blockquote>
<p>But his 2011-12 success will not stop McGee from continuing to work on his game. He plans to study under long-time NBA center and instructor <b>Hakeem Olajuwon</b> in the 2012 offseason.</p>
<p><i>Stay tuned to <a href="http://denver.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Denver</a> for continued coverage of all matters related to Denver sports. For more updates from around the league, drop by SB Nation's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">NBA news hub</a>. And for analysis and commentary focused on the Denver Nuggets, head over to the <a href="http://www.denverstiffs.com/">Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs</a>.</i></p>
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https://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nuggets/2012/7/20/3172382/javale-mcgee-contract-nuggets-center-humbled-by-extension-eager-toBradley Woodrum2012-07-19T10:35:29-06:002012-07-19T10:35:29-06:00JaVale McGee Contract Reaction: SB Nation's Nuggets Blog Talks Details, Provides Well-Reasoned Analysis
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<p>The <a href="https://www.denverstiffs.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Denver Nuggets</a> and 24-year old big man <span>JaVale McGee</span> agreed to a four-year, $44 million contract on Wednesday, and with the price of centers rising in the NBA's free agent market the deal doesn't look too bad. It's much cheaper than the contracts handed out to <span>Brook Lopez</span> and <span>Roy Hibbert</span>, but right around what <span>DeAndre Jordan</span> got last year. In any case, McGee is now the highest-paid player on the Nuggets in terms of average annual salary. That means the opinions on the new deal are going to be strong.</p>
<p>Here is an excerpt from <a target="_blank" href="http://www.denverstiffs.com/2012/7/19/3169479/taking-a-closer-look-at-javale-mcgees-new-contract-with-the-nuggets">a particularly well-reasoned and deep look at the deal</a> from Nate Timmons of SB Nation's Nuggets blog, Denver Stiffs:</p>
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<p>As far as negotiations go - when news broke of the $10 million per season offer, that appeared to be the floor. The Nuggets couldn't possibly pay less, could they?...McGee's actual earnings for the 2012-13 season have yet to be released, he could be making somewhere in the $9-$10 million range with percentage-raises each season.</p>
<p>McGee's deal pays him slightly more than DeAndre and one could say they are similar players ... raw offense, lots of athletic ability, and young. McGee appeared in 20 games for the Nuggets and started five. He accepted his role off the bench and turned in some fine performances and highlight reel plays. Pairing <span>Andre Miller</span> with McGee was a move that paid off for Karl and bringing both of them back should help McGee's ability to get easy buckets, see oop, alley.</p>
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<p>McGee was acquired from the <a href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a> in a trade for Nene prior to the trade deadline last season. He averaged 11.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game over the full season in 2011-12.</p>
<p><i>Stay tuned to <a href="http://denver.sbnation.com/">SB Nation Denver</a> for continued coverage of all matters related to Denver sports. For more updates from around the league, drop by SB Nation's <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba">NBA news hub</a>. And for analysis and commentary focused on the Denver Nuggets, head over to the <a href="http://www.denverstiffs.com/">Nuggets blog Denver Stiffs</a>.</i></p>
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https://denver.sbnation.com/denver-nuggets/2012/7/19/3169863/javale-mcgee-contract-reaction-nuggets-detailsSteve von Horn