Trade nets 'world class' athletic talent for Nuggets
Chris Tomasson and Paul Willis
Published June 26, 2008 at 10:28 p.m.
Streeter Lecka, Getty Images
Sonny Weems, obtained by the Nuggets in a draft-day trade with the Chicago Bulls, averaged 15 points for Arkansas last season and was recruited as a high school quarterback.
The Nuggets ended up with a draft choice after all.
The Nuggets, who entered Thursday's draft with no picks, dealt a 2009 second-round pick in a three-team deal and got Arkansas swingman Sonny Weems, who had been taken by Chicago with the No. 39 pick in the second round.
The 6-foot-6 Weems, who turns 22 next month, averaged 15.0 points last season for the Razorbacks. Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said he's very athletic.
"World class," Warkentien said. "He's so athletic that he can fit in the NBA as an energy guy."
Nuggets vice president of player personnel Rex Chapman said Denver had Weems rated in the late teens among all draft-eligible players. He said Weems, who will play in next month's summer league in Las Vegas, can play shooting guard, small forward and some point.
"He a very good young man," said Chapman, who had been a college teammate at Kentucky of John Pelphrey, the coach at Arkansas, where Weems was All-Southeastern Conference as a senior.
In the three-team deal, Chicago got center Omer Asik, drafted No. 36 by Portland. The Trail Blazers got Denver's pick, a 2010 Bulls' second-round pick and New York's 2009 second-round pick, which had belonged to Chicago.
The Nuggets had traded their only pick, No. 20 in the first round, to Charlotte on Wednesday for a future first-rounder. Warkentien said possibly having that extra first-round pick in 2009 made them willing to deal next year's second-rounder.
"We went shopping, and, if we saw something on sale, we were going to buy it," Warkentien said.
Meanwhile, Colorado guard Richard Roby went undrafted. Roby had suffered a broken right hand at last month's Orlando pre-draft camp and couldn't work out with teams.
"It's not the end of the road," Roby said. "There's still a lot of basketball to be played in my life."
Roby, half-brother of Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, said he hasn't heard from Denver. His agent, Chris Emens, said there's no rush to sign as a free agent since Roby's injury will keep him out of summer league.
Emens said an unnamed team was set to draft Roby in the second round before trading the pick.
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June 27, 2008
8:12 a.m.
Suggest removal
LingLingfor_prez writes:
Sorry nuggets, try again. Hope you like your first round exit again.
June 27, 2008
8:34 a.m.
Suggest removal
kmeissner writes:
lingling give them a chance. There wasn't really a whole lot of talent in the draft this year. We'll see what this kid has to offer. They can still go after some free agents this summer.
June 27, 2008
12:41 p.m.
Suggest removal
sportersball writes:
Un ha, well see if this 'world class' talent makes the team and contributes anything. I watched the Razorbacks about 4 times this year and he has the physical attributes, but his skills are mediocre at best. His college numbers are mediocre, so maybe this 'world class' talent is better suited for the NBA. (which is rare) Usually if you average 15 in NCAA ball that will go to 2 to 5 points in the NBA wayyy back on the bench if you make the team. In summer league he needs to start and at least average 10-15 points to start living up to the Nuggets talent scouts shenanigans.
June 27, 2008
1 p.m.
Suggest removal
Cwillyrun1 writes:
Why not pick up Roby? There's nothing to lose for the Nuggets.
June 27, 2008
1 p.m.
Suggest removal
Cwillyrun1 writes:
Why not pick up Roby? There's nothing to lose for the Nuggets.
June 27, 2008
6:39 p.m.
Suggest removal
carryBIGstick writes:
Who is running the Nuggets right now? Hey Stan K. This is your basketball team. Two "superstars" who don't care. A power forward who has a REALLY BIG CONTRACT and has never put any energy ino earning a dime of it. A center that make too much money but does not produce against high quality opponents, a bench guy suffering fron cancer who could not get court time on any other playoff caliber team, a shooter who has more tatoos on him then a convict on death-row. Futhermore, a mexican guy who can bearly spell the word basketball, much-less play it, an albino-looking white guy whose game is as ugly as his appearance. Also, a coach who is as dispassionate of a coach as you can find in pro sports who can't get his team to run a decent half-court offense. and a front office that makes the Carter administration look competent!
Here you have it the 2008-2009 Denver Nuggets!!!!!!!
June 27, 2008
8:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
HuckleberryFriend writes:
Dunno about world class, but you're a little quick to shoot him down sportersball. Look at another example from AR, Joe Johnson. Averaged 14.2 ppg his last year. Not to say that Weems will have the success that Joe has... but having watched them both live several times, coming outta college Sonny looks better, still raw, but better.