Nuggets trade their only draft pick
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published June 25, 2008 at 3:44 p.m.
Updated June 25, 2008 at 4:39 p.m.
Given a choice between a young player and a veteran, the Nuggets would prefer the latter.
The Nuggets on Wednesday traded their No. 20 pick in the first round to Charlotte for a protected future first-round pick. That leaves them without a pick in Thursday’s draft.
“There were some guys we liked in the draft, but ultimately we felt that we’re deep at several positions,’’ said Nuggets vice president of player personnel Rex Chapman. “Maybe we would like to get a veteran (with the roster spot that would have been used for the draft pick).’’
The pick received from Charlotte is protected in the following manner:
* Through the top 14 in 2009.
* Through the top 12 in 2010.
* Through the top 10 in 2011.
* Through the top 8 in 2012.
* Through the top 3 in 2013.
The selection is unprotected in 2014. So that’s the latest the Nuggets could get the pick if the Bobcats are a downtrodden team for the next half decade.
The No. 20 pick would make nearly $1.3 million next season, which would be nearly $2.6 million considering the Nuggets are deep into the dollar-for-dollar luxury tax.
Chapman, though, downplayed the trade being made for financial reasons, saying the Nuggets could fill that roster spot with a player that made a veteran minimum nearly similar to that. However, Chapman did agree there could be some savings due to the league possibly paying part of the salary for a veteran minimum player.
The Nuggets might not have a pick in the draft for the second straight year. But Chapman didn’t rule out the possibly still could acquire one.
“Everybody is open for business over the next 24 hours, and we’ll have conversations,’’ Chapman said.
With their newly acquired No. 20 pick, there is speculation the Bobcats are eyeing taking Georgetown center Roy Hibbert.
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June 25, 2008
4:12 p.m.
Suggest removal
Squatch writes:
Its kind of hard to build a winner when you never have a draft pick or you trade them away.
June 25, 2008
4:18 p.m.
Suggest removal
Squatch writes:
2007 - no picks
2006 - leon powe - traded boston(saw how that worked out)no other picks
2005 - kleiza only player to make team
2004 - nobody made the team
2003 - Melo
Big shocker here on why they cant compete for a title spent to much money on old free agents.
June 25, 2008
4:45 p.m.
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zippydapinhead writes:
nuggets draft like the broncos...they stink.
June 25, 2008
5:16 p.m.
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Devo332 writes:
Thanks for nothing Nuggets. Pathetic. I don't think that this player would have ultimately made an impact unless we were lucky enough to get Chalmers, but to not even wait and see how the draft goes...it's just embarrassing to be a Nuggets fan. Too good to get a good draft pick, too bad to even compete with the Lakers. Welcome to fan pergatory. I'm done. Screw this. I have better things to spend my money on than watching a bunch of also-rans make millions of dollars to be just good enough to draw the #1 seed. It's too bad that Kroenke can't get any more bang for his buck than this.
Awesome, just awesome.
June 25, 2008
5:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
puxico1 writes:
The Nuggets are the worse drafting team in professional sports. Go back 20 years and look at all their drafts, mind bogling, I might add most of their trades have also been, I can't think of a word that truly describes the, well let me put it this way an alien could do better.
June 25, 2008
8:13 p.m.
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Jetyme writes:
Man, as a Nuggets fan, this totally ticks me off! I'm at a point to say ####-it, and never watch them again. I've tried to stay loyal to this franchise and I thought they really had things going in the right direction, but after trading the 20th pick in one of the deepest drafts in years, you really have to wonder. Was management more worried about what they were going to do with Carmelo, they just forgot they had jobs to do?!! I mean talk about LAZY, they are one or two impact players away from being one of the more elite teams in the NBA and they can't find ANYONE at number twenty???!! You have to be kidding me! Raja Rondo was taken 21st two years ago, and everyone saw what a talented point guard he is (and exactly what the Nuggets need)... so you can't tell me that crap that they wouldn't find anyone worth taking at 20!! Not to mention, this team struggled last year with the guys they have now, and without changing it, what should fans expect? Another mediocre team that only plays defense on occasion! With the bottom teams in the divison/conference only getting better, one can only wonder if we have seen this Nuggets' team pass its prime... without it ever really coming.
June 25, 2008
9:31 p.m.
Suggest removal
arrangerx writes:
Wow. . . looks like the Nuggets front office doesn't see the problems on this team. You had a chance to draft a young, ready-to-play center, trade Camby, and look at a point guard. I'm going to have to re-evaluate why I'd want to support this team. Carmelo is a spoiled-brat under-performer. We still have no point guard, and still have no answers at center.
Look for another spectacularly mediocre effort from all involved. Pathetic. You (front office) have no CLUE what you've done to your fan base.
Is it possible for a team to just say "We're no longer interested in existing"? Because you've become MASTERS at draining the life out of your fan base.
Goodbye.
June 25, 2008
9:44 p.m.
Suggest removal
joeblow writes:
Whoa, all you fair-weather Nugget fans. Have we already forgotten about the team's last number one selection, Julius Hodge?
He may have only played significantly in the NBA Development League. And he may only have averaged .03 points a game when he was with the Nuggests. And he may have been the only NBA player to survive six gunshots (following a visit to a topless joint), but to me, he embodied all the fine qualities of professional sports.
Julius, we hardly knew ye.
June 25, 2008
10:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
den2mke writes:
Seriously...I've always been a Nugs fan, we buy merchandise, etc...
I'm done with supporting or caring about this team--mostly due to management not players. Totally unwilling to make obvious changes to win in the long-term, whether it's getting a coach who actually influences the players to play the right way or giving yet another pick away, this mess allowing Melo's name to be hung in the wind...It's just ridiculous.
There have been some pretty good players obtained with the 20 pick or later--and this is one of the deeper drafts in a while. Next year's draft will likely stink if the Nugs have a decent year. Missed out on a great shot to get a pretty good player that could have helped.
Whatever, I'm done...
June 25, 2008
11:26 p.m.
Suggest removal
chiy writes:
The Nuggets wouldn't take Roy Hibbert. We have to be a running team, remember? We're at altitude and we have to run teams out of the gym, remember? Like Utah is at altitude.
The Nugs are the most standing-around, no-offensive-set, running team I've ever seen. Running team, my butt. They should have taken slow-footed, wide-bodied Hibbert and that would have forced Karl to draw up at least ONE half court set. Just one. Then they could trade for a PG (since as Chapman says, they have so much depth at every position?).
The biggest misconception in the NBA is that the Nuggets don't have any problem scoring. The Nugs, in fact, have a lot of difficulty... when it matters... when they have to. The Nugs shoot early in the shot clock. That means more scoring opportunities. It is a different stat than shooting a high percentage.
The (pre-Shaq) Suns also shot early in the shot clock. But they had inside and outside weapons. Nugs have two weapons who force it when nothing is there. And as has always been the case with the "running Nuggets" anytime one of the supporting cast touches the ball they jack it up for fear they'll never touch it again.
Fire the front office. Fire the coach. Fire the BS "running" philosophy. Get a coach, players and front office who understands what the last 50 NBA champions have understood-- the playoffs are won in the half court.
June 25, 2008
11:40 p.m.
Suggest removal
gylizard1 writes:
STUPID STUPID STUPID..the Nuggets really did have a chance to get a good young player to contribute to this team..and what do they do..say.."oh..we can get a veteran player to fill that spot"..like Chucky Atkins made a HUGE impact this year..he is washed up..why not take a chance on developing a quality young player? At least Kiki Vandeweghe was creative and went out and got some quality players..the Nuggets would rather stand still and do nothing..NOT the thing to do in a very tough Western Conference..I just dont get it..like many of you..I have had it with this team. Why don't we just get rid of them..move them to TEXAS..they seem to care about producing quality teams in a very competitive State..any one of them..MAVS..Rockets..Spurs are better than what we can muster..it is very SAD..and STUPID..Get real Nuggets management..this team is ready to hit ROCK BOTTOM very soon.
June 26, 2008
12:07 a.m.
Suggest removal
Domino writes:
Geez, it was the number twenty pick. You are talking third string PF or center or an undersized point. The picks at that point are trash. This would not be a player that could help the Nuggets. Remember folks, the Nuggets did win fifty last year. Plus, we have a coach who does not move rookies into the rotation normally.
Of course, someone will come back next November and complain that someone who made a contribution to a bad team was drafted at #20 or below. Examples would be Junior Harrington and Vincent Yarbrough from the 2002-03 team.
June 26, 2008
3:47 a.m.
Suggest removal
Slader writes:
The Nuggs have drafted poorly over the years, so it's fine with me if they give up trying. They can probably package this pick with some combination of Camby/Atkins/Kleiza to get a serious point guard without blowing up the core.
Of course with hindsight we may discover that they missed the chance at a #20 steal, if Chalmers or McGee or whoever slides that far and then pans out for the Bobcats.
Bu then, this IS the organization that passed up Amare TWICE, took Hodge over Garcia and ignored Monta Ellis at #35. Would you trust them to pick out that diamond in the rough this year? Hardy-har-har.
June 26, 2008
6:50 a.m.
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golfguy writes:
Larry Brown's still SCREWIN the Nuggets. He's the Man
June 26, 2008
9:41 a.m.
Suggest removal
Squatch writes:
Just think the only reason we got Melo was the Pistons took Darko if they had pick Carmelo the nuggets sure would have picked Darko even though Dwayne Wade was still on the board.
We traded away all these picks for players that we still had to pay full price for so basically we gave the draft pick away and freed up cap space for the other team. Nice Move Nuggets!
June 26, 2008
9:42 a.m.
Suggest removal
kodijack writes:
If Joe Dumars had not handed Melo to the Nuggets they would not have a player on their roster, save for Kleiza, that they had actually drafted.
I gave up on the Nuggets the year before when they punked themselves out the playoffs, again.
Actually, I have kind of given up on pro sports period. The players don't care, a lot of cheating is going on, and the competition is nowehere to be found.
Come on Olympics.
June 26, 2008
9:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
sportersball writes:
Kiki Vandeweghe is having a good draft for the Nets, and making moves all night. The Nets got younger and likely better in the long run. Only the future will tell how good he did. The Nuggets trading the 20th pick for a conditional future pick is flat out stupid. I could see if they want to win now and traded it for a proven veteran, but for a conditional future pick is stupid. Kiki looks much better tonight then the current Nuggets GM staff ever has other then the Iverson trade.