JaVale McGee was shocked by the trade to the Nuggets

The way Denver Nuggets big man, JaVale McGee tells it, it almost sounds like he would’ve rather stayed in Washington than being traded to Denver. McGee was totally unaware that he was on the trading block and was caught off guard by the deal. Players are usually informed by friends, agents, family, or entourage about whether they’re being traded or not.

McGee says he was shocked and was caught napping literally when he was hit with news of the trade.

“I was sleeping, taking my pregame nap,” McGee told HOOPSWORLD. “When I woke up, I found out that I had been traded. I had a bunch of text messages from different people and I talked to the team. I was shocked. I just asked, ‘When do I leave?’”


Even though there was some shock and awe from the news of the trade, McGee is happy that he was traded to a playoff contender and hopes that he can be with the Nuggets for awhile.

“This is a great organization,” McGee said. “There are a lot of hard working people here and this organization gives their players everything they need.” 


The Nuggets better hope that McGee has less spaceman moments and taps into his wealth of physical talent. If he can do that the Nuggets will be an exciting team to watch. If not, McGee can at least collect some big checks since he does have talent, athleticism, and stands 6-11.  

Karl Wants To Play Mavs In Playoffs, Not Thunder

If George Karl has his way, the Denver Nuggets will play the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs. I wonder if the Mavericks will take this as a slight and tank just so they can play the Nuggets and beat them to a pulp once the playoffs roll around. Not saying that will happen, but it’s a thought.

The Nuggets beat the Mavs 3-1 in the season series. Karl believes that since the Nuggets appear to be quicker and athletic than Dallas and would be a good matchup for Denver.

“If we had to pick and choose on it, we would probably say 55 percent Dallas, 45 percent Oklahoma City, only because Oklahoma City is athletic like we are and they have two great players,” Denver coach George Karl told Ian Fitzsimmons of ESPN 103.3 FM’s Galloway and Company, referring to Thunder forward Kevin Durant and point guard Russell Westbrook. “They have two All-Stars who are really in their prime and have never won on the playoff stage. I just think right now our speed might have more effect against Dallas than it will against Oklahoma City.”

Karl also mentioned that the Nuggets would have the luxury of “doubling” off Shawn Marion.

I do think Karl is right in his assessment of playing an older, jump shooting, less athletic team. I just think he should’ve kept those comments to himself. They might come back to haunt him. 

Quote Of The Week: George Karl

In the aftermath of the Carmelo Anthony trade to the New York Knicks, coach George Karl seems to have a high opinion of his team, the Denver Nuggets.

“You guys must think I’m crazy but I think we’re good. I had one practice with them, and I’m going ‘whoa!’ What always kind of mystifies me about this world of basketball is there’s so many brilliant minds in basketball; there’s so many guys that believe in the zone or believe in the triangle-and-two, or believe in the slow-down offense, or believe in the fast passing game offense — there’s so many ways to build a philosophy and win. But it seems like in the NBA you can only win with super stars. And I don’t believe that. I’ve always coached kind of doing what everybody else does, I do different. When I went to Seattle, nobody trapped and nobody did anything, so we fronted the post, and we double-teamed post-ups, and we doubled 40 or 50 percent of possessions a game and that worked. I just think why can’t you build a team where you don’t have a top-five player, but maybe a top-20 player at every position. That’s kind of what I’m thinking what we’re going to be. We might not have an All Star, but at every position and maybe even have a bench that has more versatility and explosiveness than anybody else. So you have six or seven weapons, you might not have a superstar weapon, but you have good weapons. And then play hard, play defense, and be the most unselfish basketball team that you can be, because team wins more often than talent in this league anyways.”

Someone has to have confidence don’t they? I do think the Nuggets have a future after Carmelo if they make the right moves.

The Knicks Would Be Wise To Wait On Melo

I was talking with one of my co-workers yesterday and we were talking about the neverending Carmelo Anthony rumors. More specifically about the Lakers trade rumor. The question was why the New York Knicks were trying so hard to land Anthony. I can understand the Lakers trying to pry him out of Denver. They could bridge the gap between Kobe Bryant’s eventual decline and pass the torch to Melo. I can dig it. The Knicks, not so much.

I read a post from a fellow blogger whose site name escapes me right now where he put together a three team trade involving the Lakers, Nuggets, and Knicks where all three help themselves in the process. It’s too much to explain so please excuse me for not breaking it down. My problem rests with New York. Melo wants to be there and the Knicks want him. It’s a match. Everyone knows why Anthony wants to get out of Denver as soon as possible. It’s simple, he wants to get paid before the new CBA (collective bargaining agreement). I can understand that. He’ll only sign an extension with the Knicks. If I’m Donnie Walsh I just wait until the offseason to sign him and give up nothing. I know the Knicks want out of Eddy Curry’s contract and can get rid of it in a trade. But why give up Wilson Chandler or Danilo Gallinari? I know the Knicks would like to get rid of Anthony Randolph, which would be good because maybe they recoup a first round pick in the process. Getting rid of Randolph makes the most sense since there is a logjam at his current position. I wouldn’t be in a hurry to include Chandler or Gallinari. They’ve shown me something this year and if Melo comes to New York one of them would be a major player off the bench, something you always need in the NBA. The Knicks would also boast one of the better frontlines in the league.

I don’t see why the Knicks are in such a to make this trade. I would wait to sign him and not give up a thing. I just don’t see why they would want to give up a few core young players to get one in return. It’s not like they would be a threat to win the title this year with him.The only way I make this trade is if this is the first step in some kind of master plan where the Knicks somehow get Chris Paul out of the Bayou or some other major player. Other than that, save your chips and play them elsewhere. It may get you more than you think.

Anthony: Chauncey Belongs In Denver

Who’s running the Denver Nuggets? Carmelo Anthony or Josh Kroenke. Just when it seems the Nuggets are close to making a deal Carmelo Anthony starts wavering about signing a contract extension with the New Jersey Nets. Then he says that he doesn’t want Chauncey Billups to be traded with him and that Billups belongs in Denver, where he’s a local hero of sorts. That was after Billups went as far as saying he wouldn’t want to play for the Nets and seek a buyout.

The Nuggets are assassinating their franchise. They’re blowing it up without really needing to. Personally I think their window of opportunity is shut, but Kobe Bryant is due to go away and there will be a new king in the Western Conference. But since Anthony doesn’t want to stick around they want to take some dynamite to their team and start over. If I were in the front office I’d make the best deal possible. Damn where he wants to go. Management holds the cards and they have to assure themselves they are getting fair value in return. Speaking of management, I won’t let them off the hook either. They keep coming up with outrageous trade demands, like asking for five first round picks or trying to get rid of Al Harrington’s bad contract. Anthony and his agent are driving this whole thing and the Nuggets brass is doing everything to accomodate them.

The Nuggets need to end this saga soon. Word is there is a trade to New Jersey close to being done. Deep down Anthony doesn’t want to go there. He wants to go with the New York Knicks and form his own superteam with Amare Stoudemire and whatever third wheel that will agree to play with them. If I’m the Nuggets I hold him hostage until I got the best deal, not the other way around. 

Billups Wants No Part Of Deal

It’s rumored that Chauncey Billups could be headed to the New Jersey Nets with Carmelo Anthony and possibly reunited with former teammate Richard Hamilton. Billups has no desire to leave Denver. He said that if he were to be traded he’d seek a contract buyout.

What a change of pace. In a world where most players are asking to be traded, Billups wants to retire in Denver. He knows it’s a business and thought he would end his career with the Detroit Pistons. Billups is somewhat of a local legend in Denver. He grew up there, went to the University of Colorado, and now plays for the Nuggets. He would like to join the Nuggets’ front office after his playing days are over. My take on it is grant the man his wish.

I know the Nuggets will soon be in rebuilding mode. But you couldn’t have a more classy veteran to teach the youngsters in Billups. His wife was his high school sweetheart. He still has family in the area. His children are entrenched in the school system and does a lot of community work. That’s the kind of player you want leading a rebuilding effort. Someone postive, that actually wants to be there. Someone that could show younger teammates the ropes instead of having a knucklehead factor on your team.

I know the Nuggets’ front office wants to try and build for the future and get what they can in fair value for tradeable assets. They also need to have someone around to be a positive influence for younger teammates. They should know about having a team without solid leadership (the Allen Iverson days). That should be more the reason to keep Billups around. The Nuggets’ window of oppurtunity is slammed shut. Get rid of Carmelo and cast an eye toward the future. Just keep the hometown legend.    

Dumars Was Wise Not To Buy Into This Deal

In another episode of  ‘As The Melo Turns’ , Carmelo Anthony’s agent Leon Rose has been trying to drag the Detroit Pistons into the discussion.

Everyone knows Anthony wants out of Denver and is trying to get to the New York Knicks or the New Jersey Nets. Everyone knows that both the Knicks and Nets are desperately trying to get the deal done. Also everyone knows the Detroit Pistons want to get rid of Richard Hamilton  and their 2 year , $25 million they have committed to him for the next two years. That’s where Rose comes in. Rose also represents Hamilton. Rose somehow talked Nets general manager Billy King into asking about Hamilton. The result was that New Jersey proposed sending Troy Murphy and his expiring deal and Johan Petro for Detroit’s 2011 first round draft pick and Hamilton. Dumars shot that one down, not wanting to part with the draft pick.

Kudos to Dumars. When i first read that, I thought why would he want Petro. Murphy maybe but I wouldn’t give up the pick either. Dumars’ draft record isn’t pretty, but he does know the art of the trade. Witness the Rasheed Wallace deal back in 2004 to get the Pistons over the hump. Or how he turned Mateen Cleaves and Rodney White into Jon Barry and a first round pick respectively. Dumars will trade Hamilton. Just because the Pistons are in a bad spot doesn’t mean that Dumars will trade for the sake of trading. He’ll wait for the right deal to come along and not give Hamilton away for a bobsled and a bag of basketballs.

Personally, I can’t wait to see if the Pistons will be part of this deal or not. The rebuilding of the Pistons is overdue.