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Carter taking one-year deal with Nuggets

Diawara gets call; Nets target Najera

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 9, 2008 at 12:44 p.m.

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Anthony Carter said he will sign his new contract with Denver on Wednesday or Thursday.

Photo by Garrett Ellwood / Nbae/Getty Images

Anthony Carter said he will sign his new contract with Denver on Wednesday or Thursday.

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Five straight playoff appearances. Five straight first-round exits.

Nevertheless, the Nuggets don't seem ready to panic.

"I talked to coach (George) Karl, and he said they're looking to bring back pretty much the same team as last year," Nuggets point guard Anthony Carter said Wednesday about a Tuesday conversation he had with Denver's head coach.

At least Carter's return is certain.

As first reported by the Rocky, the free agent said he will sign a one-year, $1.26 million contract with the Nuggets. Carter expects the deal for the NBA minimum to be signed by today, when he said he will be in Las Vegas for workouts while Denver's summer league team begins practice.

Furthermore, Bouna Ndiaye, the agent for free-agent guard Yakhouba Diawara, said the Nuggets called Tuesday to express interest in re-signing his client. Ndiaye said he hadn't heard from the Nuggets in the first week of free agency, prompting him to say Sunday he didn't expect Diawara to return.

"They said they don't want to pay too much luxury tax, so they pretty much have to sign minimum contracts (for remaining roster spots)," said Ndiaye, who said Diawara is interested in Denver for a possible minimum deal of $797,581, but Dallas, Memphis, Miami and San Antonio remain in the mix.

Carter's signing would give the Nuggets, who paid $13.57 million in luxury tax last season, nine players with guaranteed contracts for next season totaling $79.48 million. The luxury tax threshold will be $71.15 million

It remains to be seen if the Nuggets, who also want to re-sign restricted free agent J.R. Smith, will spend enough to keep free-agent forward Eduardo Najera. Najera, whose preference is to re-sign, said early Wednesday evening he hasn't received any offers.

Word is New Jersey has made Najera a primary target. General manager Kiki Vandeweghe had that job in Denver from 2001- 06.

"Kiki brought me to Denver (in March 2005), and I know he does things the right way," Najera said. "He's trying to get a team to compete in the East. . . . I'm ready for any kind of offer. I'm excited if they're considering signing me."

Najera named Dallas, Golden State, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, New Orleans and San Antonio as other interested teams. He would expect the Warriors to offer a deal only if their offer sheet to restricted free agent Ronny Turiaf is matched by the Lakers.

Carter accepted his offer Wednesday, the first day free agents could sign. Carter had sought a multiyear deal for more than the minimum but told the Rocky on Sunday he likely would return for Denver's lower offer.

Carter said he didn't get other concrete offers. He said his agent, Bill Duffy, told him the Knicks had been considering a deal next season for $1.9 million, but Carter said he didn't want to go to New York anyway.

"I wanted a multiyear contract, but . . . I'm happy in Denver," said Carter, 33. "We have a chance to do some good things in the playoffs."

Carter, the starter last season after Chucky Atkins was hurt, averaged a surprising 7.8 points and 5.5 assists. Atkins vows to start, but Carter is undeterred.

"I'm coming in looking to start, but it's going to be a battle," Carter said. "Having both of us will give us a lot of firepower."

Indications are most of Denver's firepower will return. That's OK with Carmelo Anthony.

"I don't think we have a bad team," Anthony said. "I actually think we have a hell of a team. It's just a matter of us putting it together."

HALL WITH KNICKS: Former University of Colorado guard Marcus Hall, who wasn't taken in the June draft, will play for the Knicks in the NBA summer league in Las Vegas.

Comments

  • July 9, 2008

    1:29 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    newshound writes:

    I can hear the Nuggets front office...."I'm sorry AC, you just aren't good enough for us to offer you anything other than 1 year. You really aren't very good at all, but we need to fill the roster. Don't worry though, we'll start you instead of JR Smith so we can watch your unimpressive shooting and lackluster defense."

  • July 9, 2008

    1:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    OhBrother writes:

    MAN! This guy played waaayyyyy too much last season and is a ghost on D. He is a great guy and a good role player but this will not cut it in the west. I sure hope this wasn't a factor to the current JR and Najera rumors

  • July 9, 2008

    1:39 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    OhBrother writes:

    actualy your right newshound, It really has little to do with carter. I still have a hard time understanding why he received so much playing time given his actual production...just crazy...

  • July 9, 2008

    5:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ONEman writes:

    Way to make an effort to improve Nugs (rolls eyes). This guy is old and a mediocre player at best. Why can't we get what we need a bigger,younger and faster PG? It means nothing to be the worst of the best in the West. Let's get a team that can compete. Somebody also please light a match under george karl and tell him to wake da fok up and coach or get the hell outta dodge. I find it very disappointing that the Nuggets would gather so much talent and just do a piss poor job in managing and coaching. You should be looking to re-sign Najera and Kleiza first anyway. You could've signed Carter for this later, nobody wanted him.

  • July 9, 2008

    9:31 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jsppro1 writes:

    Again I'll say he's just a back-up. Nuggets need a young point or a passing point. Nugget Nation, let me ask you. Do you think AI can be the point guard the Nuggets need? Is he the "Answer" at Ponit. Not everyone at once!

  • July 9, 2008

    11:14 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Colts_rule writes:

    Hi All, Your points about AC's stats and abilities are accurate based on past performance. But remember, the fact that he is the Nuggets starting PG is not AC's fault, it is the Nuggets! They are already $8M over the luxury cap, and they only have 7 players under contract (by leauge rules they are required to have 13 players under contract) and none of them are natural point guards (arguably the most important position on the team). This is not AC's fault. Anthony Carter is what he is, a solid back-up point guard, who is a class act and a solid citizen. And remember he is signing on for the MINIMUM salary! So don't dis AC for doing what he is asked to do in what is a screwed up Nugget roster!

  • July 9, 2008

    11:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    rhsalas writes:

    OH, thats just great! He really fills a need. This team is the
    san diego padres of mlb. They simply refuse to do what it
    takes to win!! Who built this miserable team anyway? I feel for
    those fans in jersey!!

    Rsalas

  • July 10, 2008

    9:54 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TONE writes:

    I surely hope that the coaching staff can just get them to play some D. They are actually not a bad team. The problem is the so call superstar on the team doesn't play any defense. Just look at Paul Pierce in the final, he decided to play some defense and did a really good job of it too. Remember the game they had against the Celtic after the break, they play hard defense that night and was a good game and they won. If they play some D this year they will have a higher winning game and a chance beyond 1st round.

  • July 10, 2008

    11:47 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    BERSERKER writes:

    Guys - as much as I hate to say this, we need to trade Kleiza for Javaris Critterion.....a 6'5 pg that can play next to AI. Or trade Camby. Something's gotta give.

  • July 10, 2008

    4:56 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jsppro1 writes:

    Hers's a name to keep an eye on Jamal Tinsley(Pacers) Hummmmm!

  • July 10, 2008

    8:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jetaw03 writes:

    get keyon dooling!!!

  • July 12, 2008

    11:22 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    duboisb writes:

    Stingy Stan must go.

    If you aren't willing to pay for some good role players then sell the team.

    We have the midlevel exception.

    Last year, Boston's role players (P. J. Brown, James Posey and Eddie House) were the difference in them winning several crucial games on their way to a championship. Denver thinks it can skimp. It won't even make the playoffs with that attitude. We need to get better, not worse.

    Last year to save money we refused to sign Steve Blake and settled for the totally worthless (and shorter) Chucky Atkins. We pay him $3 million.

    Get rid of Stan the owner. Fire George Karl. Let's get a basketball team to go with some great players we already have. Spend some money or sell the team to someone who will. A playoff team requires good role players. It is terrible to squander Iverson and Camelo's careers because we have stupid ownership and an inept coach.