Najera talks to Nets, Spurs
Free-agent forward meets with Nets, talks up Spurs
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 09:26 p.m., July 10, 2008
Updated 11:09 a.m., July 11, 2008
Photo by Evan Semon
Nuggets forward Eduardo Najera, right, fights for possession against former Nugget Andre Miller last season. Najera, like Miller, soon could be an ex-Nugget.
Free-agent forward Eduardo Najera expects to know by Monday whether he might leave the Nuggets to sign with the New Jersey Nets.
Najera was in Orlando, Fla., where the Nets are playing in NBA summer league, Thursday and Friday to meet with Nets officials.
“Met with them just now,” Najera wrote in a text message to the Rocky Mountain News on Friday morning. “Everything went great.”
Najera was asked via text if he will sign with the Nets.
“Don’t know yet,” Najera wrote. “I will have a better answer by Monday.”
Najera has a good relationship with Nets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe, who had the same title in Denver during Najera's first 1 1/2 Nuggets seasons.
Then there's San Antonio, where Najera attended high school. Najera said Thursday that "San Antonio has moved up" in the quest to land him.
"San Antonio, they're trying to work some things out in terms of years and all that," Najera said. "I'm open."
The Nets and Spurs present different challenges from a contract standpoint. The Nets can offer more out of the midlevel exception of $5,585,000, but they are reluctant to hand out much money past summer 2010 because of an expected run at likely free agent LeBron James.
The Spurs have less money available for next season. After agreeing to a two-year, $7.5 million deal with free agent Roger Mason Jr., they have about $2 million left in the midlevel exception as well as the $1.91 million biannual exception.
Najera’s preference has been to return to Denver, but it remains to be seen if the Nuggets would match an offer. They are deep into the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax, so they would be paying double on a Najera contract.
The Nuggets are continuing to look to bring back players from last season. Free-agent point guard Anthony Carter already has said he will return on a one- year, $1.26 million deal.
Free-agent guard Yakhouba Diawara said he spoke Tuesday with Nuggets coach George Karl. Diawara said Karl echoed what Carter said Karl had told him the same day.
"Yeah, he said they pretty much want the same team back," Diawara said.
That includes Diawara.
"(Karl) said he wants me back on the team," Diawara said. "He likes my attitude and what I bring to the team."
Diawara and his agent, Bouna Ndiaye, received calls Tuesday from the Nuggets after neither had heard a word from them during the first week of free agency.
"It's a little surprising, but they said it took awhile," Diawara said. "There were some things on their mind, like the salary cap."
Diawara, who said he hasn't gotten any offers, said he has interest in returning but also wants to continue to look at other teams in the mix, which include Dallas, Memphis, Miami and San Antonio. Any Nuggets offer likely would be for the minimum of $797,581.
Meanwhile, there have been reports out of New Jersey the Nets might remain interested in trading for Nuggets center Marcus Camby, another Vandeweghe favorite. While the Nuggets earlier this offseason were known to have been willing to move Camby, that now would go against Karl's reported comments about wanting to bring back a similar team.
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July 11, 2008
7:26 a.m.
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Littleboyblue writes:
Help me understand the fascination with briging Najera back? What does he do? Not a shooter, not really a defender either. Works hard but not hard enough for the mid level money. Here we go again...they couldv'e given that money to Magette and had a real athlete, better shooter, better defender. We still don't have a pure shooter and a real post presence. So we'll watch the selfish play again this year too, huh. I've been supporting this mess for thirty years...same crap; different day.
July 11, 2008
9:04 a.m.
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glassguy writes:
I feel that Najera would be a loss because of his hard work on the floor. He can't help not being a starter, coming off the bench to spell the guys who don't play hard. Tell me what the guys who are payed the big money are doing? And, you are right Blue, same crap different day.
July 11, 2008
9:07 a.m.
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dpbevan writes:
littleboyblue...i agree the nuggets have a lot of holes in their lineup and their offseason has done nothing to fix their problems. but what i can't agree on is your distaste for najera. he is an extremely versatile player that brings much needed heart and intensity to this team. without him, this team is merely playing for paychecks. we need more najeras on this team and fewer me-first players.
July 11, 2008
9:19 a.m.
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Catalan writes:
What about Camby to the Nets? Sean Williams or Josh Boone would be nice, young and cheap centers. I think Sean Williams can become as good as Camby.
July 11, 2008
9:33 a.m.
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warrengfunk7 writes:
As far as I am concerned, Camby is the most valuable Center in the league, other than that Orlando boy.
July 11, 2008
9:33 a.m.
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newshound writes:
Maggette? Listen people, the Nuggets can't afford anyone else because the team is wayyyyyyyyyyy overpaid. They can't unload the contracts of Camby or K-Mart because nobody is willing to pay them what Denver is paying them. Najera is one of hard hardest working guys on the team, and one of the only guys that plays defense, however the Nuggets don't have the $$ to keep him around. They still have to sign Sonny Weems, and fill a couple of other roster spots. Looks like it will be another season when the players count their cash before the season is over.
July 11, 2008
9:35 a.m.
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glassguy writes:
To sign Magette, the Nuggets needed to have a little more money to spend to get him. With their salaries putting them over the cap and then the luxury tax, it's a wonder they signed Carter. Williams just might be as good as Camby, in a couple years maybe but are we willing to wait that long? But then again we might not have a choice. At least he can work on his defense because he may the only person on that end of the court while the others stand around and watch.
July 11, 2008
10:18 a.m.
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dgrasmick writes:
Trading Camby would be the first good move the Nuggets make this offseason. If they can get Sean Williams, who will be as good of a shot blocker as Camby would be a great deal. I get so tired of hearing how great of a defender Camby is, he is a great SHOT BLOCKER, not a great defender. He never steps out and helps on penetration. He doesn't do a very good job of shutting down the guy he guards, because he plays too much for the shot block and gives up a lot of offensive rebounds to his guy because he is out of position if he doesn't block the shot. That is not great defense. The Nuggets need to get a defensive specialist as an assistant coach to replace Dunlap and Moe.
July 11, 2008
11:21 a.m.
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zachm219 writes:
Too True Too true dgrasmick. I don't know about trading camby for a big man tho, if we do that we are still left with a glaring hole at the point, especially with size which mean we'll get to the playoffs and then kobe, or manu or mcgrady will dominate us. I say trade camby for a point, like hinrich, and resign najera. let Nene start at center and start developing hunter as a backup.
July 11, 2008
12:02 p.m.
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jbowen43 writes:
For the history challenged among you winning tams have men like Najera coming off the bench doing just what he does best, hustle, chase loose balls, get tough rebounds, defend, run, make layups, and generally outwork everyone else on the floor at critical times. Think A.C. Green, Kurt Rambis, and Dennis Rodman. Good company.
July 11, 2008
12:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
dgrasmick writes:
Nuggets losing Najera will hurt....he was a great energy guy off the bench. If they resign Diawara, he could be a less costly version of Najera. That will have to play itself out. As far as the point guard situation goes, they need to move Iverson to the point and tell him to sacrifice shots to set up other players...start J.R. Smith at the 2, Carmelo at the 3, KMart at the 4, Nene at the 5, trade Camby to Nets and get Williams who will be backup Center. Use Atkins, Kleiza and Diawara off the bench and play some defense. That could get them back to 50 wins. Trading Iverson at some point has got to be looked at also.
July 11, 2008
5:28 p.m.
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cowboy21 writes:
I hope the Nuggets keep Najera, he's a good guy comming off the bench. However, this is the same 6th, 7th, 8th seeded team we have had in the west, for the past five years. Anthony Carter has to be the worst point guard in the league, what was the point in bringing him back? With the moves the warriors are making, and teams like the 'Blazers getting stronger (two teams that didn't make the playoffs), the Nuggets may not even make the playoffs next year!!