Nuggets Notes... Re: Artest, Watson [Archive] - The Orange Mane

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RhymesayersDU

12-27-2005, 01:56 PM

Watson Still Expects To Be Dealt
27th December, 2005 - 1:23 pm
SF Chronicle - It's a waiting game for Nuggets guard Earl Watson, who signed a five-year, $29 million contract with Denver in the offseason but expects to be traded in the coming months given his status behind Andre Miller and Earl Boykins at point guard.

"I don't think I'm really going to be here," said Watson, who became eligible to be traded Dec. 15. "Whatever happens, you hope it happens quickly, so that way you can get it going and not have to worry about what's going to happen tomorrow, so you can move on, so there can be some closure."

Watson said the Warriors, who had the full mid-level exception available to use this summer and needed a third point guard, were never in the running for his services.

"With Baron Davis, Derek Fisher, that's a lot of money in the backcourt," he said. [READ]

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Denver Emerges As A Serious Contender For Artest
27th December, 2005 - 1:20 pm
Denver Post - The Nuggets are now major players in the Ron Artest sweepstakes, according to an NBA source Monday.

The Indiana Pacers are expected to deal the controversial Artest, a 2004 NBA all-star, in the near future. The potential Artest deal likely would include numerous teams for financial reasons. If the likely multiteam deal is consummated involving the Nuggets, expect injured forward-center Nene to be included.

"We're just waiting to hear from (Pacers CEO) Donnie (Walsh) on something," Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, said via telephone Monday.

Stevens recently predicted Artest would be dealt after the holidays and has been talking to Walsh regularly. With Christmas now past, the Pacers have intensified their hopes of trading Artest. He recently asked to be traded and then recanted the statements, but the Pacers still plan on moving him.

The Eastern Conference Pacers also seem intrigued about moving Artest to the Western Conference. Rumored interested West teams include Denver, the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers, Golden State and Minnesota. The Pacers reportedly also could be interested in adding a player who is in the final year of his contract to cut salary. Nene and Nuggets guard Voshon Lenard, who has asked for a trade, are in the final years of their contracts.

"Anytime you deal a player, you would like him to go out of the conference," Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird told The Indianapolis Star on Monday. "We're looking at the West, but if it's the East, that's how it's going to be.

"Whether we get a draft choice or a player, we're going to make sure it's the right deal. We've done enough to back Ronnie. We're in a position where we have to protect the franchise now." [READ]

Clockwork Orange

12-27-2005, 01:57 PM

Whatever they're going to do, I wish they'd hurry up and do it already.

RhymesayersDU

12-27-2005, 02:00 PM

Indeed!

Bronco Vixen

12-27-2005, 03:02 PM

if we could get him for vo, nene-ever plays, and e-dub that would be sick!
i would not be crushed if they sent andre instead though....

RhymesayersDU

12-28-2005, 07:30 AM

Artest Doesn't Dismiss Denver
28th December, 2005 - 5:28 am
Denver Post - Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest has accepted he is going to be traded but says he has no preference where. If he ends up being dealt to the Nuggets, he isn't expected to have a problem coming to Colorado.

A deal for Artest could include as many as four teams, and the Nuggets' injured forward-center Nene is expected to be a part of any Denver deal.

Artest's agent, Mark Stevens, said a deal is expected "sometime at the end of this week." The Nuggets have acknowledged interest and have been talking regularly to Pacers CEO and president Donnie Walsh.

"I've been to Denver before. It has nice scenery," Artest said Tuesday. "I really don't have a comment on the rumors. It's not my place. I like Carmelo (Anthony). I'm cool with (Marcus) Camby. I like a lot of their players.

"As of right now, I'm still a Pacer. I'm always going to have tremendous respect for Donnie.

Nuggets4

12-28-2005, 08:37 AM

I've been saying it for over two weeks, but I believe Artest will be a Nug very soon. I'm just hoping we don't deal Watson. He's been one of our best players lately. Plus, can you imagine the defense a backcourt with Watson, Dre, Artest and Buck could provide? Good lord.....

Clockwork Orange

12-28-2005, 09:46 AM

Rascal

12-28-2005, 10:03 AM

RhymesayersDU

12-28-2005, 02:02 PM

I really want Watson to stay, but IMO you gotta give something to get something, and I think Nene + Watson is the only viable option, unless we can unload Nene + Vo or Nene + Boykins, or some combination.

Maybe I'm undervaluing Nene, but I think we have to pair Watson with him to get Artest.

Rascal

12-28-2005, 02:15 PM

What about Vo, nene, and boykins?

RhymesayersDU

12-28-2005, 04:13 PM

What about Vo, nene, and boykins?
I'd do that deal in a second. Not even a second. Like .00001 of a second.

labronco

01-01-2006, 04:23 PM

artest just said he is not a top 12 player, but maybe, top 30 player. i just feel so bad for his agent.

nuggets better not trade for this guy. if kiki has any common sense, he would use artest as a bargaining chip to get a trade with anyone else but artest.

Nuggets4

01-01-2006, 06:08 PM

artest just said he is not a top 12 player, but maybe, top 30 player. i just feel so bad for his agent.

Do you not agree with the top 30 statement?

labronco

01-02-2006, 11:42 AM

Do you not agree with the top 30 statement?

Whatever comes out of his mouth just works against him. A player in his predicament should keep his mouth shut and let his agent work. It would be interesting to see what indiana gets for artest.

People can say all they want about what artest is worth, but Indiana is crazy not to accept nene+watson offer. On the same token, nuggets are crazy not to pull this offer. Even if artest hadn't had all the off court mishaps, he is not what we need. We need a shooter. We need a rebounder. I don't think there's much argument that he is a top 20 talent overall, but he is not the top twenty talent in either of these specific categories.

Although nene has had bad injury, it is not a career threatening injury, especially at his age. It may be a blessing in disguise for the nuggets if they end up not trading him. Had he stayed healthy with camby out, in all likelihood, he would have had a breakout season, and we certainly would not be able to sign him next season. Now the story is different. I think he is a restricted free-agent next year, and no one would offer him unreasonable money with his injury this year.

Nene's value also should not be overestimated. I have been little disappointed that nene has not progressed with various injury history. When he came into the league, i thought he could become a charles barkley-type of rebounder one day, but he just doesn't have that toughness.

So if we lose him through trade it wouldn't bother me much so long as we get what we need on this team. I just don't think artest is the person or the player.

broncos love

01-02-2006, 05:45 PM

For some reason I think Artest will go to LA since what happened with Kobe and Odom .

Nuggets4

01-02-2006, 06:48 PM

For some reason I think Artest will go to LA since what happened with Kobe and Odom .

LA won't give up Odom right now. Until they do, that won't happen. If we can't get Artest, I do hope he goes to LA though. I want to load up ESPN.com and see that Artest was arrested on assault charges for beating the **** out of Kobe after a game.

I'm really going to miss Earl Watson when we trade him. He's been damn good for us.

epicSocialism4tw

01-03-2006, 12:41 AM

LA won't give up Odom right now. Until they do, that won't happen. If we can't get Artest, I do hope he goes to LA though. I want to load up ESPN.com and see that Artest was arrested on assault charges for beating the **** out of Kobe after a game.

I'm really going to miss Earl Watson when we trade him. He's been damn good for us.

Earl Watson is a nice player. Every team needs his type of contributions and I think that he fits better on a contender than alot of guards do. He's a solid all-around guard.

Clockwork Orange

01-03-2006, 12:46 AM

Earl Watson is a nice player. Every team needs his type of contributions and I think that he fits better on a contender than alot of guards do. He's a solid all-around guard.

Sadly, he's also the Nuggets most consistant threat from behind the three point line. That not only speaks to Watson's contributions to the team, but to the sorry state of the Nuggets outside shooting.

Watson's done a teriffic job since he finally got unchained from the bench. He's played hard, smart and unselfish in every minute he's been given.....if only I could say the same for Earl Boykins. When I watch Boykins these days I can't help but think that the Nuggets didn't sign Gilbert Arenas because they didn't want a shoot-first point guard and yet they wound up with one anyway. Only differences being that Boykins is about two feet shorter than Arenas and has only a fraction of his offensive game.

Nuggets4

01-03-2006, 09:31 AM

Watson's done a teriffic job since he finally got unchained from the bench. He's played hard, smart and unselfish in every minute he's been given.....if only I could say the same for Earl Boykins. When I watch Boykins these days I can't help but think that the Nuggets didn't sign Gilbert Arenas because they didn't want a shoot-first point guard and yet they wound up with one anyway. Only differences being that Boykins is about two feet shorter than Arenas and has only a fraction of his offensive game.

I hate to correct anything you say CO because you're one of the top posters on here, but I've been hearing this a lot lately. The Nugs didn't sign Gilbert because he didn't want to sign here. Kiki wanted him as a 2-guard after we had already signed Dre. GA had two offers on the table, ours and Washington's, and ultimately signed with Wash because he wanted to run an offense. It wasn't for lack of effort on Kiki's part.

But yes, Boykins sucks.

Clockwork Orange

01-03-2006, 09:55 AM

I hate to correct anything you say CO because you're one of the top posters on here, but I've been hearing this a lot lately. The Nugs didn't sign Gilbert because he didn't want to sign here. Kiki wanted him as a 2-guard after we had already signed Dre. GA had two offers on the table, ours and Washington's, and ultimately signed with Wash because he wanted to run an offense. It wasn't for lack of effort on Kiki's part.

But yes, Boykins sucks.

I see, that's interesting. The reason I heard at the time was that Arenas didn't want to play the 2 and that the Nuggets didn't want a shoot first point guard. I didn't know that he didn't want to sign here. Thanks for the heads up. :)

Nuggets4

01-03-2006, 10:37 AM

I just remember that this was right after we missed out on Brad Miller. It came out that we still had an offer on the table for Gilbert. Kiki wanted a Miller-Arenas backcourt, but Gilbert wasn't a big fan of that.

What could have been.....

Clockwork Orange

01-04-2006, 12:18 AM

The longer things drag on, the more I think the Nuggets aren't going to land Ron Artest. Perhas it's time to focus our attention elsewhere....

http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com/nba/sacramento/PejaSac_174x250.jpg

RhymesayersDU

01-04-2006, 12:24 AM

If we land Peja we'll be un-****-withable.

Lidderer

01-04-2006, 06:02 AM

i really hope GSW gets Artest instead of denver.

Davis, J-rich, Diogu, Murph, and Artest would pretty much solidify a top 5 finish.

*says a prayer*

Clockwork Orange

01-04-2006, 10:37 AM

i really hope GSW gets Artest instead of denver.

Davis, J-rich, Diogu, Murph, and Artest would pretty much solidify a top 5 finish.

*says a prayer*

I've read that the Pacers want Troy Murphy included in a deal for Artest and that the Warriors haven't budged on that idea......yet.

Lidderer

01-04-2006, 11:00 AM

I've read that the Pacers want Troy Murphy included in a deal for Artest and that the Warriors haven't budged on that idea......yet.

ya, that's the word apparently. Oh lord, throwing in Dunleavy with those other potential 4 starters just makes the trade seem worthless then.

Nuggets4

01-04-2006, 11:14 AM

RhymesayersDU

01-04-2006, 11:20 AM

I hate Peja. I really hope we don't deal for him. We already have defensive problems, he just amplifies them big time. Not to mention his fold-job EVERY DAMN YEAR in the playoffs. Ugh.

BTW, Nugs play the Pacers tonight. I think we might see a deal tonight.
One of the papers, either DP or RMN, reported that neither Bird nor Walsh will be attending the game tonight. But who knows.

epicSocialism4tw

01-04-2006, 04:30 PM

i really hope GSW gets Artest instead of denver.

Davis, J-rich, Diogu, Murph, and Artest would pretty much solidify a top 5 finish.

*says a prayer*

That team would improve, no doubt, but I dont see a top 5 squad with Davis at the controls. He's a competitor and a solid player, but he's injury prone and tends to dominate the ball too much to get his teammates involved like they should be if they want to enter the elite category.

Nuggets4

01-04-2006, 05:14 PM

One of the papers, either DP or RMN, reported that neither Bird nor Walsh will be attending the game tonight. But who knows.

I just think that the Pacers didn't want to face Artest immediately after trading him. I think he'll be a Nugget and I think that the Pacers set tonight as the deadline to see if they got any better offers. No inside info or rumors or anything, just gut instinct.