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Howard to sign one-year contract with Nuggets

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 2, 2008 at 12:01 p.m.

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Six-foot-9 Juwan Howard played half the 2001-02 season with the Nuggets and all of the subsequent season.

Photo by John Gichigi / Getty Images/2007

Six-foot-9 Juwan Howard played half the 2001-02 season with the Nuggets and all of the subsequent season.

Rocky, the Nuggets' mascot, has been enshrined in the Mascot Hall of Fame.

Photo by Garrett Ellwood / Nbae Via Getty Images

Rocky, the Nuggets' mascot, has been enshrined in the Mascot Hall of Fame.

He said it

" 'Bird' was raw my rookie year. He would just run all around. Dunking. Blocking shots. Throwing 'Birdman' signs up. Had the crowd doing the 'Bird' whistle. I think him taking two years off really forced him to really settle down and mature a lot. . . . I've seen a big change."

Carmelo Anthony, Nuggets forward, on the difference between Andersen, known as "Birdman," between 2003-04 and now. Andersen recently served a two-year NBA drug suspension.

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Nick Van Exel might be available.

Then there's Tariq Abdul-Wahad. And what about Junior Harrington?

The Nuggets' trend of bringing back players from earlier this decade has continued, with forward Juwan Howard prepared to sign a nonguaranteed contract and practice Friday.

The Nuggets brought back Chris Andersen during the offseason four years after he left Denver. They also have training-camp invitee Ruben Patterson, who finished 2005-06 in Denver.

Howard played the second half of 2001-02 with the Nuggets and all of 2002-03. He averaged 18.3 points in 105 games.

But this could be a much different Howard than the one seen before. After making $20 million in 2002-03, the 6-foot-9 Howard, 35, will sign a one-year, nonguaranteed deal for the $1.26 million minimum.

"I don't think we'd bring him in if we didn't think he had something left," Nuggets coach George Karl said of Howard, who averaged 1.1 points for Dallas last season in 50 games.

The Nuggets need all the help they can get in the post after the departures of Marcus Camby and Eduardo Najera. Center Nene, who Wednesday said the Nuggets need another post player with bulk, has no problems with the move.

"I love it," said Nene, who, along with Andersen, is one of two Nuggets players to have played with Howard during his previous Nuggets stint.

Forward Kenyon Martin also welcomed the expected signing, saying Howard has "proved he can play in the league."

It won't be easy for Howard, who has a 15.3-point average in 14 seasons, to make the roster. The Nuggets, who have 13 players with guaranteed deals and aren't certain about keeping more, also have NBA veterans Patterson, Smush Parker, Mateen Cleaves and Nick Fazekas on make-good deals battling for what they hope will be at least one spot available.

"(Howard's) a hell of a player," Karl said.

"He has a respect in our locker room already with some of the players who played with him when he was here. If I started tomorrow, I couldn't tell you who would be the (first big man off the bench)."

MORE OF MOE

Doug Moe already has made plans to cheer on alma mater North Carolina in the Maui Invitational in November.

Other than that, he could be available for consulting.

After 3 1/2 seasons as an assistant, Moe, who turns 70 on Oct. 21, stepped down to become a consultant. After missing the first two days of training camp, he showed up Thursday to provide any needed input.

"I'll tell them what I think, and I'm a timesaver," Moe joked about the Nuggets only having to listen to him part time.

Moe, who lives in San Antonio, will be in and out of Denver this season. He will go on the first regular-season trip but isn't sure how many road games he will attend.

ROCKY ENSHRINED

First, Adrian Dantley. Now, Rocky.

Dantley, a Nuggets assistant, was enshrined last month in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Rocky, the Nuggets' mascot, has been inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in Newark, Del.

Rocky is in his 19th season. Others in this year's class are the Cleveland Indians' Slider and the University of Tennessee's Smokey.

It's unclear if Rocky, who doesn't speak, will be asked to give an induction speech.

HUNTER HUNGRY

Steven Hunter said the "real Steven Hunter" is on display, and Karl doesn't disagree.

"He's in better shape," Karl said. "He's much more confident."

Karl said the center, who averaged 2.1 points in 19 games last season, will be given a chance to get minutes.

"You're going to see a guy that can run the floor, that can rebound, that can block shots, that's extremely athletic," Hunter said of what will be different after last season was wrecked by knee surgery.

ETC.

* Karl is eager for rookie Sonny Weems to return after sports hernia surgery. He said he tells Weems daily that "you're stupid to be injured" because "if I don't see you, there's no way I'm going to think you're any good." Karl said it will "be a piranha day" in mid-October when Weems is expected to practice for the first time because "he'll be eaten alive by the veterans."

* Karl called Nene "a presence" during a scrimmage. While Thursday was to be the only required two-a-day session at camp, Karl canceled the night work because of the team's "good rhythm."

* Karl recently bought a majority stake in Tartan Fields Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio. "I'm not sure I like the $180,000-a-month payment," he said.

Comments

  • October 2, 2008

    6:40 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    The_Man writes:

    finally the last piece to a championship puzzle!

  • October 2, 2008

    10:32 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Broncody writes:

    Hmmm Smush Parker may be on the team... I always liked him and think he could be a better #2 PG than Atkins. If Smush can prove he can play better defense than AC then I wouldn't mind seeing him start. Howard signing isn't too big of news... good mid range jumper but other than that I don't know what he has left. If Hunter is hungry GREAT. He is athletic and looonnnnnggggg. He could block some shots for the Nuggets and get up and down the court. He and K-mart can run the fast break as well as any other 4 and 5 man tandem. My projected lineup
    C-Nene Hunter
    PF-K-mart Balkman
    SF-Melo Kleiza
    SG-AI JR
    PG-Smush AC

    Or JR at SG and AI Starting at PG. Oh well alot of possibilities.

  • October 2, 2008

    10:38 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jrhino writes:

    Always liked Howard with the Nugs. Was sorry to see him leave. Hope he can still run the court. He could be helpfull

  • October 3, 2008

    6:41 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    duboisb writes:

    Stan Kroenke may be (is) an idiot but the Denver front office is doing an incredible job nevertheless.

    Getting Juwan Howard is a good move. The reported trade of Chucky Atkins and Steven Hunter for Jamel Tinsley is sheer genius.

  • October 3, 2008

    9:28 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Rocky_Mountain_Man writes:

    Jamal Tinsley rumor? Where did you hear or read that? I for one would back it!