RhymesayersDU
03-07-2006, 10:47 PM
http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/39460/20060307/nene_wont_return_this_season/
Nene won't give Nuggets boost
Recovery going well, but big man says he is out for the season
March 7, 2006
It's no-no from Nene.
No to the regular season. No to the playoffs.
Nene, a Denver Nuggets big man who suffered a torn right anterior cruciate ligament in the Nov. 1 opener, said Monday he does not plan to return this season, even if the team makes a deep playoff run.
"I'll wait for the next (season)," he said. "I (can't) do what I want to do because I prepare so good in the summer. Now, I miss four months, and I don't play. . . . I want to be productive. I don't think if I play (this season), I'll be like (that)."
Nene had surgery Nov. 21 and initial reports were he likely would miss the rest of the season. But Nene's recovery has gone well, creating some optimism.
Nene has been doing court work the past two weeks. He said the knee is getting better but there still is pain and he doesn't want to come back at less than 100 percent.
Nene recently fired his agent, Michael Coyne, and his business manager, Joe Santos, whom he has shared an apartment with, because he said they weren't providing the services he desired. His new agent is Dan Fegan, whom Nene has talked to about not coming back this season.
"He knows I'm not comfortable to play because I want to play good," Nene said. "I don't want to play so-so. . . . Now, I lost totally my focus. I like my focus all summer. My game has slowed."
Nene said he plans to return to practice before the regular season ends April 19. Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe hopes Nene also will keep open the possibility of playing again this season.
"He got a great (recent) MRI report," Vandeweghe said. "My suggestion is to see how it goes. That would be my advice. Not to rush back. But not to make any quick decisions and see how it goes. Because you can never tell what happens in a month."
Nuggets coach George Karl said playoff rosters could be expanded from 12 to 14 (with two players possibly inactive each game), which could make it easier for the Nuggets to put Nene on a roster even if he were unlikely to play.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank said the topic was discussed at the competition committee meeting during All-Star Weekend and is "still being discussed."
Vandeweghe, who was at the meeting, is not optimistic roster expansion will happen this year.
Nene said his plan to not return has nothing to do with becoming a restricted free agent July 1. Nene is in line for a big contract offer, and the Nuggets would have seven days to match.
HOW MUCH MARTIN? Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin missed a second consecutive game Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies because of continued soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. It remains to be seen how much Martin will play on a seven-game trip that begins Thursday.
"I've got a problem just waking up the next day, so to try to think about playing . . ." Martin said of the trip having three sets of back-to-back games. "I want to play in as many games as I can as long as the knee holds up. We'll see. I'm not going to fool myself and tell myself I'm going to play all seven games."
Martin has missed 16 games, 13 because of the knee. Karl, whose team has more frontline depth after the recent acquisition of Reggie Evans, said Martin's status will be evaluated.
"We haven't philosophized about back-to-backs," Karl said. "Is that what wears his knee out to where he has to sit out a few games? . . . We all realize (Martin's knee is) probably going to be an inconsistent thing. It's going to be a week on, maybe a couple of days off."
There is plenty of optimism about the upcoming trip. While Karl said 5-2 or 4-3 is more realistic, Martin, Marcus Camby and Carmelo Anthony all talked Monday about going 7-0.
"We've got seven games and seven winnable ballgames," Camby said. "I think we can go out there and win every ball game."
ETC.: Vandeweghe and Karl hope to again speak soon with Jon Barry, a free-agent guard who interests the Nuggets. Barry, waived Wednesday by the Houston Rockets, said Sunday he is leaning toward retiring. "I don't know if I have the ability to talk anybody out of (retirement) on the telephone," Karl said. "I gave it my shot (last week). I'll give it another shot." . . . Assistant general manager David Fredman said the Nuggets expect to participate for a third consecutive year in the (Las) Vegas Summer League, from July 5-14.
Nene won't give Nuggets boost
Recovery going well, but big man says he is out for the season
March 7, 2006
It's no-no from Nene.
No to the regular season. No to the playoffs.
Nene, a Denver Nuggets big man who suffered a torn right anterior cruciate ligament in the Nov. 1 opener, said Monday he does not plan to return this season, even if the team makes a deep playoff run.
"I'll wait for the next (season)," he said. "I (can't) do what I want to do because I prepare so good in the summer. Now, I miss four months, and I don't play. . . . I want to be productive. I don't think if I play (this season), I'll be like (that)."
Nene had surgery Nov. 21 and initial reports were he likely would miss the rest of the season. But Nene's recovery has gone well, creating some optimism.
Nene has been doing court work the past two weeks. He said the knee is getting better but there still is pain and he doesn't want to come back at less than 100 percent.
Nene recently fired his agent, Michael Coyne, and his business manager, Joe Santos, whom he has shared an apartment with, because he said they weren't providing the services he desired. His new agent is Dan Fegan, whom Nene has talked to about not coming back this season.
"He knows I'm not comfortable to play because I want to play good," Nene said. "I don't want to play so-so. . . . Now, I lost totally my focus. I like my focus all summer. My game has slowed."
Nene said he plans to return to practice before the regular season ends April 19. Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe hopes Nene also will keep open the possibility of playing again this season.
"He got a great (recent) MRI report," Vandeweghe said. "My suggestion is to see how it goes. That would be my advice. Not to rush back. But not to make any quick decisions and see how it goes. Because you can never tell what happens in a month."
Nuggets coach George Karl said playoff rosters could be expanded from 12 to 14 (with two players possibly inactive each game), which could make it easier for the Nuggets to put Nene on a roster even if he were unlikely to play.
NBA spokesman Tim Frank said the topic was discussed at the competition committee meeting during All-Star Weekend and is "still being discussed."
Vandeweghe, who was at the meeting, is not optimistic roster expansion will happen this year.
Nene said his plan to not return has nothing to do with becoming a restricted free agent July 1. Nene is in line for a big contract offer, and the Nuggets would have seven days to match.
HOW MUCH MARTIN? Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin missed a second consecutive game Monday against the Memphis Grizzlies because of continued soreness in his surgically repaired left knee. It remains to be seen how much Martin will play on a seven-game trip that begins Thursday.
"I've got a problem just waking up the next day, so to try to think about playing . . ." Martin said of the trip having three sets of back-to-back games. "I want to play in as many games as I can as long as the knee holds up. We'll see. I'm not going to fool myself and tell myself I'm going to play all seven games."
Martin has missed 16 games, 13 because of the knee. Karl, whose team has more frontline depth after the recent acquisition of Reggie Evans, said Martin's status will be evaluated.
"We haven't philosophized about back-to-backs," Karl said. "Is that what wears his knee out to where he has to sit out a few games? . . . We all realize (Martin's knee is) probably going to be an inconsistent thing. It's going to be a week on, maybe a couple of days off."
There is plenty of optimism about the upcoming trip. While Karl said 5-2 or 4-3 is more realistic, Martin, Marcus Camby and Carmelo Anthony all talked Monday about going 7-0.
"We've got seven games and seven winnable ballgames," Camby said. "I think we can go out there and win every ball game."
ETC.: Vandeweghe and Karl hope to again speak soon with Jon Barry, a free-agent guard who interests the Nuggets. Barry, waived Wednesday by the Houston Rockets, said Sunday he is leaning toward retiring. "I don't know if I have the ability to talk anybody out of (retirement) on the telephone," Karl said. "I gave it my shot (last week). I'll give it another shot." . . . Assistant general manager David Fredman said the Nuggets expect to participate for a third consecutive year in the (Las) Vegas Summer League, from July 5-14.