Kleiza perplexed by Camby deal, hopes to stay with Nuggets

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published August 14, 2008 at 8:27 a.m.

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Count Linas Kleiza as another Nuggets player surprised by the Marcus Camby trade.

But count Kleiza as one who doesn't want to go anywhere else.

The forward can sign a contract extension by Oct. 31 or he will become a restricted free agent next summer.

While Kleiza said there won't be any talks until after the Olympics, he reiterated Thursday he wants to re-sign.

"Oh, yeah, definitely," he said after his native Lithuania beat Russia 86-79 to improve to 3-0. "I love being there, so, hopefully, it will work out."

It didn't work too well for Camby, as the Nuggets dealt him last month in a salary dump. The Clippers only gave up the possibility of having to swap second-round picks in 2010.

"I think everybody was surprised by the move," said Kleiza, who is averaging 13 points in the Olympics after he went 1-for-7 for four points Thursday but got 11 rebounds.

"But I don't know why they did it. . . . I think the Nugget organization has a plan. . . . I'm 100 percent behind them."

Lithuania is all but assured of advancing to the quarterfinals. It eventually could play the U.S., featuring Carmelo Anthony, Kleiza's Nuggets teammate.

"We're coming after him, especially," said Kleiza, who has been talking trash to Anthony.

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