Denver Post sports writer Christopher Dempsey posts his Nuggets Mailbag every other Thursday during the regular season.
Pose a Nuggets- or NBA-related question for the Nuggets Mailbag.
Chris – This isn’t very kind of me, but I can’t help but enjoy the struggles of the New York Knicks the last few years. Do you think Carmelo Anthony at all regrets his decision to force a trade? It seems like his best chance at a title may have been if he stayed in Denver?
— Rob, Broomfield
Rob – It certainly has been miserable for him this season, and he’s probably staring at a couple more years of rebuilding before the Knicks start to resemble a playoff team again. But … as much as I know that many Nuggets fans are relishing his pain, I think he’s comfortable with the decision. His wife’s television career got a boost; he’s seen an increase in business opportunities; and he’s back home.
There were myriad issues as to why he forced his way out of Denver, and though he’s taking a lot of heat for being a star player who can’t lift his team up to even being decent, I feel like he’d do it all over again if given the chance.
Hey, Chris. Yes, this is your old classmate from Montbello. I heard rumors that the Nuggets are trying to shop around the league to see who they can get for Wilson Chandler. Are the Nuggets trying to trade him?
— Marcus Douglas, Denver
Marcus – What a pleasant surprise! The Nuggets aren’t actively trying to trade Wilson Chandler, but a number of teams have inquired about his availability. He’s having the best season of his career so far, is probably their best two-way player, and has been arguably the most consistent player on the roster.
The Nuggets’ preference, actually, is to hold onto Chandler, and my understanding of the situation is they’ve told him so. And yet, I think it would be naive to think it means a trade wouldn’t occur — especially if the Nuggets are getting attractive offers and they are slipping down the Western Conference standings.
They’ve said they are a few weeks away from making a decision on what to do with the rest of the season. And if it’s to start a roster retool, they’ll have to have a firm plan in place for how they want to change and what they are ultimately looking to be from a roster-composition standpoint. If, say in mid-to late January, the Nuggets decide to pull the plug, it will be a big, big deal, because we’ll all be actively bearing witness to what their vision is for this team.
Will the Nuggets make a trade sooner rather than later?
— Chris Alberti, Parker
Chris – Depends on what is happening with them in the Western Conference standings in the next few weeks. But even if they decide to retool the roster, don’t look for a complete teardown during the season. More like a move or two, regroup, and then form a plan for the offseason.
Hey, Chris. Who is the most pleasant interview on the Nuggets? Thanks.
— Dave, Denver
Dave – The thing I love about this locker room is the number of good personalities in it. I’ve not once ever dreaded going into the locker room because of “bad guys” in there. And I can’t say that about some of the locker rooms I’ve been in, in the past. But these guys are great, even when they are struggling.
Are the Kroenkes committed to winning or being profitable? Their soccer team Arsenal is always a bridesmaid and never a bride. The Nuggets, Avalanche and Rams are very profitable according to Forbes but never in the hunt for a title. I don’t agree with the notion stars won’t go to Denver. The last I know, the Nuggets pay their players in dollars, too. James Harden went to the Rockets with less assets than the Nuggets. Happy holidays.
— John Bacarella, New York
Hi, John. I guess, first off, I’d say that James Harden was traded to Houston, then signed an extension. So it wasn’t like it was a summer courtship and acquisition. But it has been a struggle for the Nuggets to attract a serious eye from big-time free agents. That’s just a reality.
Still, I’m actually with you. I don’t think it’s as dire a situation as it’s made out to be. But the Nuggets would have to work harder than most to net one. Players sign with teams for all kinds of reasons — no one was considering Cleveland until LeBron James went back there. I think for the Nuggets to be successful in free agency they are going to have to show, first, they have the dollars to be in the conversation. Then they’re going to have to show clear direction, confidence throughout the organization, and a short path to winning big.
Those things attract free agents more than what the club scene is in a particular city. But it’s up to the Nuggets unequivocally to display why they would be a team to consider.
Pose a Nuggets- or NBA-related question for the Nuggets Mailbag.
