Nuggets report: Howard to Charlotte

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 9, 2008 at 4:28 p.m.

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Forward Juwan Howard is on the verge of signing with Charlotte, Nuggets center Nene told the Rocky after practice Tuesday. It's disappointing news for Nene, a teammate of Howard's during Nene's rookie season of 2002-03 and for a month earlier this season.

"He was very important to this team, and now we've lost him," Nene said of Howard, who's expected to sign with the Bobcats soon.

The Nuggets signed Howard early in training camp and he made the opening- night roster on a nonguaranteed contract. But he was waived Nov. 3, when the Nuggets needed to clear a roster spot when they dealt Allen Iverson for Billups, Cheikh Samb and Antonio McDyess.

After McDyess' contract was bought out Nov. 10, Karl requested Howard be re-signed. But with the Nuggets about $900,000 over the luxury-tax line and seeking to get under it, his request was denied.

"I'm disappointed," said Nene, who believes the Nuggets need another big man such as Howard, 35, a 15-year veteran. "He showed everybody he's in shape. He can bring a lot of things to the team, but he's not here now. . . . I don't understand."

Motown homecoming

McDyess made it official. He's back in the Motor City.

McDyess had to wait a month if he wanted to return to the Pistons after deciding he did not want to play in Denver. The Nuggets bought out about $6 million of the two years and nearly $15 million left on McDyess' contract.

McDyess will receive from Detroit this season the full biannual exception of $1.91 million. He has a player option next season worth $2.06 million but could opt out and re-sign for a larger amount in order to recoup more lost money.

"I'm just happy for him to be back playing no matter where he is," Billups said. "That's my buddy."

Speaking with reporters in Detroit, McDyess didn't offer specifics why he didn't want a third stint in Denver. He joked he didn't sign with Boston because he wouldn't "look good in green and white."

"(Detroit) is a team that I want to end my career with," McDyess said.

Before McDyess' return, the Pistons were only 9-8 since the trade.

"He's going to help them a tremendous amount," Billups said. "He brings a veteran that is familiar with everybody on the team."

Etc.

* Forward Kenyon Martin, who sat out Saturday at Sacramento because of a sore left wrist, did only shooting drills in practice, but Karl called it "better than 50-50" he'll play tonight.

"It's how I feel," said Martin, calling it a game-time decision. "It ain't nobody else's decision but mine."

* Tonight marks the only game the Nuggets will play between Saturday games - last weekend against the Kings and Saturday at home against Golden State.

"It's a Catch-22," Billups said. "I like the practice days that we haven't been able to get. But at the same time, when you're playing so well, I like to keep playing."

• December 9, 2008

  5:18 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  jbowen43 writes:

  Stan Kroenke has adequately demonstrated that he is a sports owner in the mold of the Monforts. No one should be surprised at that.

• December 9, 2008

  6:21 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  TheSlinger writes:

  are you serious jbowen? Kroenke is anything but like the monforts. remember last year, when the nuggets were tens of millions of dollars over the cap and he gladly paid the luxury tax in hopes of a deep playoff run, they got swept out and he didn't want to pay for the same result again this year. or all those loaded Av's teams sakic, forsberg, bourque, roy, blake, hejduk, sellanne? thats hardly a list of scrubs. the fact is that camby and iverson weren't cutting it and he wanted to go in another direction to try and win a championship. but to compare him to the monforts is laughable. you are obviously not a denver sports fan so don't chime in with your uninformed comments. the monforts are maybe the worst owners in baseball, stan kroenke is one of the best and i wished he wanted to buy a baseball team about 15 years ago when the rockies were born

• December 9, 2008

  8:52 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  ColoradoSportsFaninTexas writes:

  Agreed with Slinger.....Kroenke wants a winning team, and is willing to make the financial moves necessary....Yes, he is cutting payroll this year, but the Nugs seem to be a better team because of it....

  I may be mistaken by this comment, but I believe that Kroenke made an offer to buy out the Monforts either last year, or the year before, but the Monforts refused.....So, then Kroenke went on and brought the Avalanche instead....Like I say, I may be wrong on that thought, but I think I read it in a column from Woody Page of the Post....

  Too bad for Rockies fans, that the Monforts didnt sell to him.....

• December 9, 2008

  11:29 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  den2mke writes:

  Well, since Kroenke purchased the Avs, Nuggets and Pepsi Center all in the same 2000 transaction, I'd say at least part of the facts are incorrect.

  I agree about Kroenke...I think he's demonstrated a willingness to make reasonable investments to win. In the case of the 2007-2008 Nuggets the experiment had been given time to work and the evidence was there: It wasn't working.

  Overall, I would have to say Kroenke is certainly an upper-tier owner--one who's willing to take a big risk if there appears payoff, but also responsible enough to rein things in when it's clear a new direction is necessary.

  He's also highly invested in the Denver community--another plus...

• December 10, 2008

  8:33 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Avarra writes:

  Agreed. Why pay millions of dollars over the salary cap on a team that gets swept in the first round? There are a bunch of top-tier teams in the league who are under the salary cap and still manage to be big players come post season.

• December 10, 2008

  9:02 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  anthony1979 writes:

  I agree Avarra. I don't blame Stan for not wanting to be over the cap because these guys haven't done anything. Just like anything else, it's risk and reward. There has been no reward though since the Nuggs have gone 1 series and out for the past few years. I think maybe if we make it past the first round or even if we position ourselves and luck ourselves out (both needed) to get to the Western Conference Finals this year, there's a possibility that Stan would be willing to take that luxury tax on next year but it's all up in the air...

• December 10, 2008

  12:42 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  warrengfunk7 writes:

  At the trade deadline, if the Nuggets are one of the best team's in the West, I have no doubt they will try to use that Camby trade exemption of $10 million. Of course, there is no guarantee a deal will be out there, that will be right for the Nuggets. But if there is, if there is a bigman on a loosing team and an expiring contract, hey, teh Nuggets have Atkins. he's healthy again and he's good enough to be a starting PG. Obviously all that time he was hurt, Denver made other arrangements. Shoot, someone is gonna need a healthy Chucky Atkins and have a bigman they might let go.The Nuggets don't need their 1st Round pick. They could include that with Atkins and use their $10 million trade exemption from Camby, and possibly get an impact player for their bench. Hopefully someone more valuable than Juwan Howard, or else they could have just brought him back, obviously. It will need to be someone simular in impact to the Lakers Lamar Odem. That's what the Nuggets need. If they get that, then they will be capable of beating anyone in the NBA, giving themselves to advance against any team in the playoffs-.

• December 10, 2008

  1:43 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  FatTony writes:

  I'd say Kroenke is a pretty good owner. He's made a pretty good impression with the Arsenal FC board & fans, taking greater ownership with them, when it was very tough for an American businessman to do so (ie the Glazers with ManU and George Gillet/Tom Hicks with Liverpool FC).

  The guy doesn't throw his money around because the fans say so...although he's a sports fan, he's also a business owner folks. It's not only about now, but it's about the future too.

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