Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Looking healthy and energetic following his second defeat of cancer, Denver Nuggets coach George Karl finally has the team he has always wanted.  On any given night, the Nuggets could dominate with their starting five or cobble together a win with contributions all the way down the bench.

The Nuggets currently lead all NBA teams in points per game at 105.5 – a tick better than the Miami Heat’s 105.4 – and are perched firmly at second place in the Western Conference.  Only the division rival OKC Thunder are better in the West right now, but watching these young Nuggets you get the feeling that they are still a month or two away from playing their best basketball.

George is living in a coaching dreamland in Denver.  He’s got the kind of depth and athleticism that even most big market NBA teams lack.  Karl just has to decide who has the hot hand, who makes the best matchup, and which of his ten floor-worthy players get time each night.

Coming over from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005, George was heralded as a matchups guru with the ability to challenge the best coaches in the league.  Now that Phil Jackson has retired from Lakerland, Coach Karl may be the best matchups coach in the league.  And with Carmelo Anthony slowing the offense to a crawl in New York, the Nuggets have the cap space and floor time to run the most dynamic, team-oriented style in the league.

In his early years with the Nuggets, Karl had the pitiable task of making sure Melo got his points every game.  Now George can watch five players score double-digits and have a half-dozen guys geared up to make big shots in the final minutes.  Plus, an increased load on the bench means the Nuggets can throw a relentless up-tempo attack at their opponents for 48 minutes.  No wonder Denver leads the league at 24.5 assists per game.

On Wednesday night Karl’s Nuggets will have a chance to close out an undefeated five-game road swing.  Four victories so far include overtime triumphs versus the surprising 76ers and the struggling Knicks.  Now Denver draws the defensively challenged Kings in Sacramento.  With six Nuggets averaging 10+ points per game, Denver looks strong to return home Friday with one of the best records in the NBA.

Articles similar to this:

• January 19, 2012 -- At 10 wins Nuggets taking shape (0)
  With a healthy and energized George Karl at the helm, t...
• March 9, 2011 -- Karl signs contract extension with Nuggets (0)
  “I’ve always said Denver is the place I want to end...
• March 3, 2011 -- Melo pens love letter to Nuggets fans (0)
  There are no words to express the gratitude and appreci...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The NBA is back after a marathon negotiating session in New York City on Friday night.  Both labor and the league will have to sign-off on this tentative deal, but it looks like we will have NBA basketball on Christmas Day.

For the Denver Nuggets the shortened season will be both a boon and a challenge.  The Nuggets have an established coach and system, but many of their players are scattered across world leagues or likely lost to free agency.  Pulling together core players as quickly as possible will be key.

Fortunately, point guard Ty Lawson included an exit clause in his contract with Lithuanian team Zalgiris Kaunas where he has been playing since early October.  That gives Denver their most important offensive cog as soon as a deal is signed.

Unfortunately, forward Wilson Chandler along with pending free agents JR Smith and Kenyon Martin are all locked into contracts with China’s top basketball league.  While most Chinese teams have indicated a willingness to let their American players return to the NBA, the Chinese league itself was careful to point out to incoming western talent that their contracts would be binding through the conclusion of the season.

Most likely the Nuggets will consider Smith and K-Mart lost to free agency anyway.  Rookie power forward Kenneth Faried will hopefully be a long-term replacement for Kenyon, and fellow draftee Jordan Hamilton is being touted as a dynamic scoring forward/guard in the mold of JR.

Replacing Nene, who the Nuggets cut ties with in the offseason, will be a taller order.  The best free agent option at center is Tyson Chandler – an athletic big man who would fit Denver’s up-tempo attack.  Denver has dumped considerable salary between the Anthony/Billups trade and the loss of formerly burdensome Nene/Martin contracts.  They should have their pick of willing free agents.

The Nuggets’ ability to get immediately into a groove (as they did after the big Melo trade late last season) should give them a boost over NBA competition once play starts in late December.  Denver’s youth and above-average conditioning will be a major plus as teams play 66 games – not far from the typical 82 – in just over half a regular season.  This will be especially true for Ty Lawson and other Nuggets who will come to Denver in mid-season form after playing in foreign leagues.

In the end, it will be up to head coach George Karl and his staff to get the Nuggets ready for this condensed NBA Season in less than a month.  And it will be up to Denver’s relatively new front office to get prepared for what will be a brief and intense free agency period starting December 9th.

Articles similar to this:

• January 24, 2012 -- Karl has Nuggets humming atop West (0)
  With Carmelo Anthony slowing the offense to a crawl in ...
• January 19, 2012 -- At 10 wins Nuggets taking shape (0)
  With a healthy and energized George Karl at the helm, t...
• March 16, 2011 -- Denver defense downs Hawks in Atlanta (1)
  Aside from excellent two-way play by the Nuggets, the t...

Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

The Nuggets face the Northwest Division rival Thunder in an NBA Playoffs battle.  Two of the most athletic teams in the league will go toe-to-toe starting this Sunday, April 17th.  Dan Olson and Ian Cerveny take you inside this thrilling first round matchup with a series preview.  Also previewed are the other first round playoff series across the NBA.

Download Podcast

Articles similar to this:

• February 1, 2010 -- Building Steam: Nuggets Mid-Season Review (0)
  The Nuggets have the third best overall record in the N...
• January 24, 2012 -- Karl has Nuggets humming atop West (0)
  With Carmelo Anthony slowing the offense to a crawl in ...
• March 3, 2011 -- Melo pens love letter to Nuggets fans (0)
  There are no words to express the gratitude and appreci...

Image by Keith Allison via Flickr

Denver head coach George Karl has signed a contract extension with the Nuggets that will keep him in the Mile High City for at least another three years.

While details of Karl’s new contract have not been released by the team, multiple reports have Karl signing with the Nuggets through the end of the 2013-2014 NBA Season.  Some rumors detailing the finer points of Coach Karl’s new contract have the Nuggets getting three individual optional years beyond the third season.

Karl has coached the Nuggets for seven seasons, bringing Denver to the playoffs each and every year.  The Nuggets went as far as Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals in 2009, and were expected to make a similar run in 2010 before Karl was diagnosed with neck and throat cancer halfway through last season.

Part of Karl’s close relationship with the Nuggets organization stems from his experience following that diagnosis and throughout the debilitating chemotherapy treatment that followed.  Speaking on the family that owns the Nuggets and recently transferred controlling interest from father Stan to son Josh, Karl said, “The Kroenkes have been great throughout this entire process. They’ve been very supportive of me as a coach and during my battle with cancer.”

Vice President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri took over Denver’s front office management last summer and oversaw the exit of Carmelo Anthony from the Nuggets.  That frustrating process ended last month when Melo and fan favorite Chauncey Billups went to New York in return for a slew of talented players.

As soon as those difficult negotiations ended, Masai was charged by the Kroenkes with re-signing Karl, and Ujiri did not disappoint.  “Extending George’s contract has been one of our top priorities,” said Ujiri after announcing the signing on Tuesday. “He’s done a tremendous job since arriving in Denver, and particularly with the unique challenges of this season. With George on the bench, we have a bright future and everyone here is focused on finishing the season strong.”

The Nuggets have gone 5-2 since Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Knicks.  In those seven games, Denver has boasted five different high-scorers.

Karl became the seventh coach in NBA history to win 1,000 games earlier this season.  As happy as the Nuggets are to have locked up one of the best coaches in league history, Coach Karl is equally happy to be most likely finishing his long career in Denver.

“I’ve always said Denver is the place I want to end my career,” said Karl after inking his new contract. “This puts me one step closer to achieving that goal.”

See George Karl’s Coaching Tree

Articles similar to this:

• January 24, 2012 -- Karl has Nuggets humming atop West (0)
  With Carmelo Anthony slowing the offense to a crawl in ...
• February 22, 2011 -- Bye Bye Melo: a memoir of the Anthony Era in Denver (2)
  Anthony took his shots here, and either through circums...
• October 26, 2010 -- Utah Jazz @ Denver Nuggets 10-27 Preview (0)
  Denver will host the division nemisis Utah Jazz to kick...

Image via Wikipedia

Before you read Carmelo Anthony’s parting love letter to Denver Nuggets fans, there are a few things you should keep in mind for perspective…

First, Melo played hard for seven solid years in Denver.  Many people never hold a job for seven years in their entire lives, and Anthony gave Nuggets fans seven good years in the prime of his career.  He even played hard most of this season while the Melodrama enveloped himself and his team.

Second, Carmelo brought Denver basketball to a new level of prominence.  His presence on the team, his personality, his highlights spins, shots and dunks all contributed to the Mile High City developing a youth basketball fan base that did not exist before.

Third, many of the players that came to Denver during the Melo Era either did so because Anthony was on the team or became better (JR Smith) by learning from a star player.

And finally, Anthony could have walked away from Denver in the offseason and left the Nuggets getting nothing in return.  Granted, a major motivating factor in forcing a trade during the season was that Melo got paid big money now before a new CBA lost him $20 million off his next contract.

Still, he worked with the Nuggets to make sure Denver got the best possible deal in a trade.  Melo didn’t run his mouth to the press about how he wanted out, he didn’t involve himself in shady backroom discussions with potential trade partners, and he generally operated with class and honor while defending his right to play basketball in another city.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – don’t hate Melo for making his way to NYC.  It was one man’s personal choice.  We fans don’t own Anthony, and the Nuggets may even be a better team without a superstar one-on-one specialist gumming up the works.

Don’t hate the player, hate the game… and be sure to give Carmelo Anthony due props when he comes to town with his Knicks next season.

And now, Melo’s letter to his Denver fans as posted on his website earlier today…

“A Note to My Denver fans

Thu, Mar 3, 2011 at 11:35 AM by Admin

I had to let you know how I felt about you, the city, my fans, my friends. You’ve been supportive of me and my NBA career for the past 8 years and that doesn’t go unnoticed.

Drafted when I was 19 I called Denver and the Nuggets my home. The city and the fans embraced me and watched me grow as a man and a player.

There are no words to express the gratitude and appreciation I have for Denver, the Nuggets and all the fans.

You will always be a part of my heart.

One Love,

Melo

Articles similar to this:

• January 24, 2012 -- Karl has Nuggets humming atop West (0)
  With Carmelo Anthony slowing the offense to a crawl in ...
• February 14, 2011 -- A Maverick Twist In The Carmelo Anthony Sweepstakes? (0)
  Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, didn’t mention An...
• April 12, 2010 -- Memphis Grizzles at Denver Nuggets 4-12-10 recap (0)
  This was just what the doctor ordered for the Nuggetsâ€...

Image via Wikipedia

Just a week after the Denver Nuggets went through a basketball game – from start to finish – with their entire lineup healthy and intact for the first time this season, it’s somewhat ironic that the trade rumors are once again swirling about how they’ll break up the roster.

The latest gust of wind that has online betting fans and basketball enthusiasts pondering once again is regarding their superstar, Carmelo Anthony.

With the NBA trade deadline approaching – and pending summer free agency looming – it’s becoming more and more apparent that Anthony will not be wearing a Nuggets uniform much longer. For a while, it looked like the New Jersey Nets were the biggest favorite to land Anthony but they bowed out. The key for them was that Anthony had to sign an extension but clearly Anthony wasn’t cool with that.

But now a new twist has come into play: renting.

Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, didn’t mention Anthony by name (he’s not allowed to because of tampering rules) but he was clearly speaking about him when he suggested that he wouldn’t have a problem renting the superstar.

The Mavericks have had a big hole at small forward ever since starter Caron Butler was lost for the season.

We’ll see what transpires but regardless, there’s clearly more intrigue now. Few pundits considered renting to be an option but if the Mavericks are serious enough, the Nuggets may have another team to work with.

The key here is that Dallas is so close to being a championship team already that Anthony may put them over the top. Will that thought alone entice Cuban to offer up enough assets to Denver in return?

Stay tuned.

Articles similar to this:

• January 24, 2012 -- Karl has Nuggets humming atop West (0)
  With Carmelo Anthony slowing the offense to a crawl in ...
• March 3, 2011 -- Melo pens love letter to Nuggets fans (0)
  There are no words to express the gratitude and appreci...
• March 9, 2011 -- Karl signs contract extension with Nuggets (0)
  “I’ve always said Denver is the place I want to end...

On the eve of the 2010-2011 season, Carmelo Anthony is still a Denver Nugget…

And he couldn’t be happier about the Nuggets’ first opponent.

Denver will host the division nemisis Utah Jazz to kick off what could be Melo’s last year, month or week with the club… depending on which trade rumors you believe.  For his part, Anthony is just happy to have an early chance for revenge after Denver’s playoff run ended in a first round collapse to the veteran Jazz.

“I think the NBA was reading my mind. They granted my wish,” Anthony said. “I wanted Utah the first game. I know there’s going to be a lot of excitement. They got us out in the playoffs last year. We kept that in mind.”

The rest of the Nuggets likely feel the same, and should like their chances given a healthy George Karl manning the Denver bench.  Karl missed most of the latter half of last season to throat and neck cancer treatment.  Assistant Adrian Dantley filled in for George, and was simply overpowered by Jerry Sloan’s two decades of mastery as Jazz head coach.  The Nuggets were 42-21 under Karl last season.

The Nuggets won the season series last year 3-1.  Denver clocked 114, 105, 119 & 106 on the pointsometer in those four games, and were able to generate a grinding 105-95 win in Utah without Carmelo Anthony & Chauncey Billups.  That road win featured George Karl’s favorite bench players outworking Jerry Sloan’s workmanlike Jazz in a preview of what the team might look like without a superstar on the roster.

Denver will begin ’10-’11 without the services of big men Kenyon Martin & Chris Andersen after twin offseason knee surgeries.  K-Mart & Birdman are questionable through the first month of the new season.  Free agent acquisition Al Harrington will try to fill the void at Power Forward.

For now the Nuggets should get the job done at home with Denver still auditioning for Melo’s love.  Anthony has maintained all along that he simply wants to keep his options open, and calls the Nuggets his team at every opportunity.  A lot of “us” and “we” talk for a man on the move.  If the Nuggets play like a Championship contender early it will raise Anthony’s trade value… and give the organization a reason to keep Melo in Denver as long as he’ll stay.

“As of right now I’m starting the game against Utah on our home court which I’m excited about,” offered Anthony on “The Scott Van Pelt Show” on Tuesday.  “I can’t predict the future so whatever is going to happen is going to happen. But right now I’m just focusing on the upcoming season.”

Articles similar to this:

• April 26, 2010 -- Leaderless Nuggets on brink of elimination (0)
  Denver’s bigs couldn’t make layups, their bench had...
• October 17, 2010 -- Denver Nuggets 2010-2011 Season Preview (5)
  Young Josh Kroenke taking over, coupled with Warkentein...
• June 30, 2010 -- Does Denver have a play in the July NBA Free Agent Sweepstakes? (0)
  With a suddenly glaring weakness at power forward, the ...

Carmelo to New York rumors have resurfaced in recent days, but do the Knicks have the ammo to pull of this monster trade?

The New York Knicks have reportedly renewed their interest in Denver Nuggets Forward Carmelo Anthony.  Deals including three and four teams fell apart a month ago.  Now, with just a week to go before the NBA Regular Season begins, the Knicks are eager to get a deal done that will bring Melo to the Big Apple ASAP.

Motivations are clear for all parties involved:

Carmelo wants to go to a big market, although he seems to prefer taking the free agency path this summer.  And for now, Anthony just wants to focus on playing basketball with his Denver teammates.

Said Melo when pressed on the trade rumors today, “I try to tell myself (and) people that’s around me and my team that I don’t want to hear it. If something’s going to happen it’s going to happen. Please don’t call me with all of that stuff, with conversations and rumors and he say, she say. If something happens, then call me.”

The Knicks want to make their sizeable fan base feel better about getting snubbed by Lebron James, and are still looking for an A-list compliment to offseason acquisition Amare Stoudemire.

The Nuggets just want to get something reasonable in return for their departing superstar, as it becomes increasingly likely that Melo will not be the man to carry Denver to its first NBA Finals.  After watchin Lebron spurn Cleveland, the organization may need to get proactive about a trade before too long or they risk getting nothing in return.

The sticking point then becomes… do the Knicks have the moveable pieces to pull off a blockbuster deal?

The short answer is, “No way.”

Pick Your Poison

For New York to grab Carmelo they would almost definitely need to send rising Italian Shooting Forward Danilo Gallinari, young Power Forward Anthony Randolph, and the expiring contract of veteran Center Eddy Curry to Denver.

The problem with this scenario is twofold; the Nuggets have already upgraded at PF & C, and Gallinari, for all his potential, is a big downgrade from Anthony at SF.

Having picked up the two bench Centers from last season’s NBA Finals over the summer, the Nuggets have no reason to hang onto Curry.  The Knicks are simply looking to move his contract out of NYC.

To smooth the difference in talent between Carmelo Anthony and the combination of Randolph + Gallinari, the Knicks have been asked to give up a 2011 First Round Draft Pick.  Problem is, they don’t have one.  And by giving their two most appealing young talents to Denver, New York leaves itself few bargaining chips to use in acquiring a top pick from another team in order to seal the deal with the Nuggets.

One name that has bubbled up as a suitable trade token is 2nd-year Point Guard Toney Douglas.  If the Knicks can find a suitor for Douglas in return for a 1^st Rounder, then we may see a deal happen quickly.

Don’t hold your breath.

Gallinari has struggled from the field and from the free throw line all preseason, and Randolph has been underwhelming on the boards.  In the end, the Nuggets may not be interested in grooming young, inconsistent players.

Douglas’ preseason play has been impressive, but he has yet to elevate his game when it counts.  The Knicks’ potential trade partners may not be willing to give up a top pick for an unproven commodity, despite the high potential upside.

Unless the Nuggets reduce their asking price or the Knicks find a sucker GM to cough up a top pick, this rumored trade will evaporate as quickly as other Melo trade rumors have.

My two cents?  Melo will start the season a Nugget, and Denver will see what it has before the midway point in the season before actively shopping him again.  If the Nuggets feel like they can make a run at a title with Carmelo on board, you may see them go all-in and hope that another early playoff exit doesn’t end his time in Denver.

Articles similar to this:

• March 9, 2011 -- Karl signs contract extension with Nuggets (0)
  “I’ve always said Denver is the place I want to end...
• March 3, 2011 -- Melo pens love letter to Nuggets fans (0)
  There are no words to express the gratitude and appreci...
• February 22, 2011 -- Nuggets trade Melo to Knicks in blockbuster deal (0)
  We in the Denver sports community wish Melo the best of...

Life With Carmelo

It’s been nice, hasn’t it?

Denver has been a regular visitor to the postseason, even making a spirited run at the Lakers in the 2009 Western Conference Finals.  All thanks to the kid from Baltimore and his silky-smooth game.

Now Nuggets fans get to watch tensely as their team prepares for Life After Melo.

But before we all jump on the “Melo to Jersey” bandwagon, remember that Anthony’s exit from the team was a done deal in July, August & September in turn.  According to most sports news outlets, Carmelo has been most definitely, without a doubt, on his way out of Denver no less than a half dozen times this offseason.  Meanwhile, Melo has stood firm in his position that he wants to play the 2010-2011 with the Nuggets.

For certain, Anthony will test the free agent market after this season if he has not already been signed to an extension by Denver or traded and signed long-term by another club.  Yet Melo’s unflinching priority (according to his every action and statement since May) is this upcoming season and giving the Nuggets one more chance to make a run at an NBA Title.

As uneasy as Carmelo’s position makes fans and the Denver front office, rest assured that he is in it to win it in powder blue right here, right now.

Digging Deeper Into the New Nuggets

For many, the Denver Nuggets’ 2010-2011 Season is all about where Carmelo Anthony will play the next 4-5 years of his basketball career.  But for the Nuggets the turmoil goes much deeper than Melo’s Decision.

Denver spent the biggest Summer Free Agent Smorgasbord in NBA history fretting about turnover in the front office as Mark Warkentein & Co. was ushered out.

Warkentein’s crew was never popular with new Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke, who hastily took over as head of team operations so that father Stan Kroenke could pursue full ownership of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.  Granted, Warkentein’s time as Denver’s General Manager seemed short halfway through last season when the Nuggets failed to extend him an extension on his expiring contract.  But the impending ownership change (finalized this summer) was the nail in the coffin.

Young Josh Kroenke taking over, coupled with Warkentein’s departure, left potential free agents unwilling to take a chance on a club in transition.  Without Carmelo’s signature on a fresh contract, Denver looked to be in decline.

Without firm management the organization sat out another loaded NBA Draft, and the early spree of Western Conference free agent signings passed by as the Nuggets looked on.

Enter Masai Ujiri, the new front office boss in Denver.

After watching Chris Bosh exit Toronto this summer as the Raptor’s Assistant GM, Majiri will get another chance to keep his new team’s prize player as the Nuggets’ General Manager.

Ujiri is familiar with Carmelo Anthony from his four years with the Nuggets as an international scout, and there is no doubt that little fact played into his hiring.  However, Masai also represents a bold movement towards internationalizing the Nuggets’ prospects.  He specializes in his continent of origin, Africa, which is now widely considered to be the new focal point of NBA international recruiting.

The Kroenke family and the rest of the Denver front office are no doubt heavily invested in keeping Carmelo in town.  But if Anthony ditches Denver for a bigger market, Ujiri represents a contingency plan to keep the Nuggets on the cutting edge of NBA team-building into the new decade.

Read more about new Nuggets General Manager Masai Ujiri

Not to be overlooked in the sea of changes surrounding the Nuggets is the return of head coach George Karl.  His exit from the team midway through last season spelled Denver’s demise, even as he repeatedly pushed his chemo-weakened body back to the Nuggets bench.  Eventually, Karl submitted to the effects of rigorous cancer treatment and watched from home as stand-in assistant coach Adrian Dantley move the Nuggets towards an opening round playoff elimination.

Player Developments

The biggest move of the offseason for Denver was the addition of free agent power forward Al Harrington.  He is a veteran player coming off a resurgent season in New York, and will start right away as Kenyon Martin & Chris Andersen continue to struggle with the after-effects of summer knee surgeries.

Read more about free agent acquisition Al Harrington

In case you missed it, Chauncey Billups led the USA National Basketball Team to the top of the World.  The Denver native provided veteran leadership on an absurdly young US squad, and worked with head coach Mike Krzyzewski to mold a highly functional American collegiate style basketball team.  Chauncey & the Kids won World Championship Gold in Turkey behind an absolute revelation of a performance by Oklahoma Thunder forward Kevin Durant.

Read more about Nuggets on the USA National Team

Finally, the Nuggets added depth at center with the acquisition of monstrous seven-footer Didier “DJ” Ilunga-Mbenga, who spent his last two years in Los Angeles.  The Nuggets also loaded the bench with the other backup center from the 2010 NBA Championship series in former Boston big man Shelden Williams.

Read more about the Nuggets’ new Centers
Read a Preview of the Denver Nuggets 2010-2011 Schedule

Articles similar to this:

• October 26, 2010 -- Utah Jazz @ Denver Nuggets 10-27 Preview (0)
  Denver will host the division nemisis Utah Jazz to kick...
• June 30, 2010 -- Does Denver have a play in the July NBA Free Agent Sweepstakes? (0)
  With a suddenly glaring weakness at power forward, the ...
• March 9, 2011 -- Karl signs contract extension with Nuggets (0)
  “I’ve always said Denver is the place I want to end...

With the late August hiring of General Manager Masai Ujiri, the Denver Nuggets gained an experienced emissary to the International Basketball community.

Ujiri is a native of Zaria, Nigeria and has long been a bridge between the NBA and the basketball talent pool outside of the United States.  He served as the director for the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program in Africa, and continues to be active in the development of basketball culture in his home country.

Masai served as the Assistant General Manager of the Toronto Raptors for three years, largely as a result of that team’s desire to expand their international recruiting reach.  Now Denver has placed him in a position to build the Nuggets in his own image.  In his time with Toronto, Ujiri added Andrea Bargnani, Carlos Delfino & Jose Calderon to the Raptors roster.

No doubt, the Nuggets’ bench will take on more of a world flavor in coming seasons.

For now, Issue #1 is keeping star forward Carmelo Anthony in Denver.

Melo has been looking at moving on to the bright lights of a bigger city all summer.

While Anthony has been careful to maintain team obligations at every turn, he is also clearly more than a little interested in exploring the open market at the end of his contract following the 2010-2011 Season.  Denver watched Lebron spurn the winter snow fields of Cleveland for the sandy expanses of South Beach, and the Nuggets will do anything they can to keep Carmelo in town.

Masai Ujiri is undoubtedly the Nuggets’ Ace in that quest, and he is reported to have a positive prior relationship with Anthony.  More than that, though, Masai represents a positive movement by the Nuggets to advance the franchise beyond its present recruiting limitations.  Denver hopes that Carmelo values that club commitment to growth.

At 39 years old, Masai is a relatively fresh face in the dusty lineup of NBA GM’s.

And yet his experience in World Basketball is expansive.

In six years of professional European basketball Ujiri played in Belgium, Germany, England, Greece and Finland.  He started out as an unpaid international scout for the Orlando Magic, an assignment that lasted only a year.  Masai was quickly recruited by the Nuggets to spearhead their international scouting initiatives, working with the team from 2003-2007 before moving on to Toronto.

Now Ujiri is back in Denver to kick-start the Josh Kroenke Era… and potentially the Post-Carmelo Era as well.  If that is the case, at least Masai will be building a team designed to compete in the increasingly internationalized NBA.

Ujiri’s take on the global growth of basketball scouting?

“You cannot miss it. There’s no running away from it. You have to cover everywhere. Basketball globally has gotten better, the skill level has gotten better. What some of the international kids are doing in the NBA is amazing.”

Articles similar to this:

• August 3, 2010 -- Nuggets dump Warkentien after free agency failures (1)
  Mark Warkentien is on his way out of Denver after the N...
• April 12, 2010 -- Memphis Grizzles at Denver Nuggets 4-12-10 recap (0)
  This was just what the doctor ordered for the Nuggetsâ€...
• January 24, 2012 -- Karl has Nuggets humming atop West (0)
  With Carmelo Anthony slowing the offense to a crawl in ...