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Nuggets Hunter to have knee surgery, season and career in jeopardy

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published November 8, 2008 at 11:58 p.m.

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Nuggets center Steven Hunter, bound for surgery this week, admits he’s thought about knee problems possibly ending his career at 27.

“Definitely, that thought is in the back of my mind,’’ Hunter said in an interview Saturday with the Rocky Mountain News. “But I’m going to try to stay optimistic. I’m going to try to stay positive.’’

Hunter, out for the last month due to continued right knee inflammation, said he will have surgery around the middle of this week at The Steadman-Hawkins Clinic in Vail. It will be performed by specialist Dr. Richard Steadman, who did microfracture knee surgery on Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin in November 2006.

Hunter hopes to return this season, but said the surgery could keep him out all year.

“It will probably be March, if this season,’’ Hunter said of when he might be able to return.

Hunter has had chronic knee problems since the Nuggets acquired him from Philadelphia in September 2007. Hunter played in just 19 games last season, with surgery on his right knee costing him about two months.

Hunter appeared in Denver’s first exhibition game on Oct. 10, but hasn’t played or practiced since. Continuing to have soreness in his knee, he visited a specialist last month in New York and saw Dr. Steadman last Tuesday in Vail.

While the New York doctor recommended continued rehabilitation in the hope his knee would get stronger, Dr. Steadman suggested surgery.

“Basically, I have an arthritic condition,’’ Hunter said. “A loss of cartilage in my knee. He’s going to relieve some of that pressure on my bone.’’

Hunter said he will rehabilitate for a couple of months, saying he’s going to “take my time with it and make sure it’s right before I come back.’’

Hunter was asked how frustrating it would be if he can’t play this season.

“It would be frustrating, but I’d have to deal with it,’’ he said. “It would be just part of the game.’’

Prior to coming to the Nuggets, the 7-foot Hunter had his best NBA season, averaging 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds with the 76ers in 2006-07. In training camp, Hunter vowed Denver fans finally would see the “real Steven Hunter,’’ but then his right knee failed him again.

“My knee started aching,’’ he said. “It started swelling up on me. I wasn’t able to really run in practice.’’

Hunter is due $3.86 million this season and $3.7 million in 2009-10 in the final season of his contract. It doesn’t appear the Nuggets would be able to get salary-cap relief for this season if Hunter can’t play.

Hunter said there’s “no chance’’ of the Nuggets buying out his contract.

“That hasn’t been discussed,’’ Hunter said. “Basically, they want me to get healthy. They’re committed to me . . . I got 100 percent support from the Nuggets, and it’s been a pleasure coming to work every day. I’m going to have the surgery, go through rehab, and I’m going to try to come back ’’

Hunter said it wasn’t a case of last November’s surgery not working. He said he was diagnosed with a different problem in his right knee.

“The doctor knows how to fix it,’’ Hunter said. “I hope he does.’’

With Hunter ailing, the Nuggets could re-sign forward Juwan Howard as soon as Monday when the buyout on Antonio McDyess likely will become official and Denver will have an open roster spot. Howard was waived last Monday in order to create room for the Nuggets to acquire Chauncey Billups, Cheikh Samb and McDyess from Detroit for Allen Iverson.

Comments

  • November 10, 2008

    6:21 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kmeissner writes:

    Yup. The fans are seeing the "real Steven Hunter".... INJURED! The Nugs need to get rid of him now while they can. Use his roster spot to get another big man to help now that Martin and Anderson are both out. If Mcdyess wasn't so selfish he'd have a lot of playing time now!

    Howard isn't great, but at least he's a step up from what they have available now, which is nothing.

    The good news is that they have played well the last 2 games. Nene is playing GREAT! GO NUGS!

  • November 10, 2008

    6:51 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Broncos4Life1 writes:

    Why did they trade for Hunter to begin with? The guy is always injured and the few games that he's played are nothing to write home about anyway. His best season he averaged 6 pts and 4 rebs? Time to cut him, get rid of "Birdman" and free up some salary cap space. Then bring back Juwan Howard and see if they can find some other journeyman big guy to give them 5-10 minutes a game so they can rest Nene. Until the Nuggets get some real depth they will continue to struggle when the playoffs come around.

  • November 10, 2008

    10:40 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Snappa writes:

    lol, nuggets are getting what they deserve, they could have traded this fool along with atkins to the pacers for jamaal, but noooo, they decided to keep em. now they got rid of ai, and now both birdman and kmart are down for the count... i sincerenly hope the nuggets dont even make it to playoffs this year.

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