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With Sonny Weems, football's loss is Nuggets' gain

Draft pick says it'll 'be a blessing' to play for Denver

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 27, 2008 at 1:27 p.m.

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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.

Kevin C. Cox / 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.

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Sonny Weems is coming to Denver for a pro sports career.

He'll be with the Nuggets, not the Broncos.

But there was a time some thought Weems, the Arkansas swingman taken in the second round by Chicago in the NBA draft Thursday and traded to the Nuggets, was heading for an NFL career.

"I was rated the No. 2 quarterback in Arkansas as a junior," Weems said Friday of his time at West Memphis High School.

But Weems opted not to play football as a senior, even though he said Arkansas, Florida, Oklahoma and Texas were among schools courting him to play college ball.

"I couldn't take them hits," Weems said.

So football's loss is the Nuggets' gain. The 6-foot-6 Weems, who said he was an Arkansas top-five high school basketball player, averaged 15 points and shot 37 percent from three- point range last season for the Razorbacks.

Weems was drafted by the Bulls with the No. 39 pick. He then was dealt to the Nuggets in a three-team trade in which Portland got Denver's 2009 second-round pick.

"I know they're great players," Weems said of playing with the Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. "They're superstars. It will be a blessing to play with them."

Weems is exciting in his own right, having won the college slam-dunk contest during the Final Four in the spring in San Antonio. He called the highlight a dunk in which he took off from the free-throw line.

"I'm a great athlete," said Weems, who claims he's a one- legged jumper with a 32-inch leap and "most definitely" one day will be in an NBA slam- dunk contest.

Weems said he spoke late Thursday with Nuggets vice president of player personnel Rex Chapman and coach George Karl. Chapman was a 1987-88 teammate of Arkansas coach John Pelphrey while at Kentucky.

"I think that I'm a great fit for (the Nuggets)," Weems said of his ability to get up and down the court.

Weems, who spent his first two seasons at Fort Smith (Ark.) Junior College in order to improve his grades, will play with the Nuggets next month in the summer league in Las Vegas. He can play without a signed contract for next season.

Weems most likely will sign next season for the NBA minimum of $442,114, which could help the Nuggets, who are well in excess of the luxury tax threshold. How he plays in Las Vegas could determine if he can get some money guaranteed.

"He's really fast and he can finish on the break," Pelphrey said of Weems. "He has an incredible ability to make tough midrange jump shots. He's become a good ballhandler. . . . He has great size and length. With his athleticism, he can bring versatility to a defense because he can guard different positions."

For now, the Nuggets are happy Weems didn't choose to play the position of quarterback.

SMITH TENDERED: In an expected move, the Nuggets tendered a $3.04 million qualifying offer to guard J.R. Smith. That means Smith will become a restricted free agent Tuesday, and the Nuggets this summer will have the right to match any offer.

Meanwhile, guard Yakhouba Diawara said the Nuggets are deciding whether to tender the $972,581 qualifying offer to him by the Monday deadline. If they do, Diawara becomes a restricted free agent. If they don't, he becomes unrestricted.

Smith, who made $2.14 million last season, has the right to accept the $3.04 million offer for next season and become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2009. But the Nuggets can sign Smith to a contract this summer or he could sign an offer sheet with another team, which Denver would have seven days to match.

Smith likely only would accept the qualifying offer if the sides were at a stalemate at summer's end and he didn't get an offer he likes from another team. In October, Smith turned down a three-year contract extension believed to be worth about $10 million.

"They're going to have to offer him a lot more than that," Smith's father, Earl Smith, said of the Nuggets' qualifying offer. "There's going to be a lot of teams bidding for him."

The Nuggets have indicated keeping Smith, who averaged 12.3 points last season, is a top priority and they plan to match any offer. Smith regularly has said he wants to re-sign.

Diawara's situation is much different. Diawara, who made $687,456 last season mostly as a deep reserve, said he doesn't expect to find out until Monday what Denver will do.

"We'll see," Diawara said when asked if he'd prefer the Nuggets qualify him or have the ability to join any team as an unrestricted free agent. "I just want to see what they do first."

One option for the Nuggets is seeking to sign Diawara to a minimum deal worth $797,581. Vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien declined comment on what Denver might do.

Comments

  • June 27, 2008

    1:58 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    kodijack writes:

    He should not do any worse than the Nuggets last slam dunk contest participant.

  • June 27, 2008

    3:43 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    newshound writes:

    The season doesn't start for a couple of months, so he should have plenty of time to catch up on his tattoo's. Gotta get that one on the neck and your child's portrait somewhere.

  • June 27, 2008

    5:46 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    JoeBarryCarroll writes:

    I am sure that many of you die-hards have scoured YouTube to see this guy but if not here's the hookup. This first link is definitely the most in depth analysis on this guy and is highly recommended. Looks like he's got a lot of work to do but he's definitely got potential. Would've been better if we'd gotten a guard who can shoot and play D but you wouldn't expect the Nugs to get that right.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blHTuD...

    Here are some more clips of the crazy awesome dunks he's throwing down. I'd have rather seen Chalmers or Douglas-Roberts but at least this guy's CRAZY athletic.

    The first is his most famous dunk. So crazy, even though it looks like it's against a high school squad. The second and third are the dunk contest itself (in the last, he's in the red, footage is kinda ghetto but the dunks are tight)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxnM9h...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIp40W...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgi1mC...

    NOW IT'S TIME TO INK JR AND DO SOME WHEELING AND DEALING!

    LET'S GO NUGS!

  • June 28, 2008

    6:48 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    bobbyjr writes:

    bobby jones says teach the team defense and then we will worry about who they draft.Defense is such a glaring weakness it will not matter unless the team addresses this.How about it George!

  • June 30, 2008

    10:02 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    anthony1979 writes:

    With his athleticism I think he will be great energy off the bench...I'm excited to see him play...good luck this summer Sonny...

  • July 1, 2008

    10:38 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    mizzteacher72 writes:

    Hate to let you down guys but Sonny is child free....so no tats in that area. We (his family) are very proud of him and we are praying for his success in Denver. He is a GREAT guy and a has a wonderful spirit. Prayerfully, he will spread that to some of his "teammates". Wish him well and give him the opportunity to shine. I am sure he will keep up his end of the bargain....as he has for all the other teams he has played on.

    GO SONNY!!! West Memphis is on it's way to Denver!!!

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