Denver Nuggets and Chris Andersen Begin Negotiations
By Jeremy Glasoe | July 1, 2009
I think we all knew that Chris Andersen would be the Denver Nuggets top priority this off-season. The negotiations have begun, and Chris wants to stay in the Mile High City!
Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien is currently in Los Angeles, meeting with Andersen’s representatives, notably Denver-based attorney Mark Bryant and agent Steve Huemann of the Los Angeles-based Creative Arts Agency.
Unlike Brandon Marshall, the Birdman loves Denver. But, the Nugs aren’t the only team in pursuit.
There are numerous teams inquiring about the NBA’s No. 2 shot-blocker from last season, notably Houston, which has all-star center Yao Ming shelved indefinitely, as well as Dallas, Portland and Memphis. But Andersen, who lived in Denver during his two-year banishment for drug abuse, adores the city of Denver and has publicly said he wants to return home.
The Nuggets sold their 2nd round pick to the Houston Rockets for cash, so they could turn around and sign the Bird with the money. With the team payroll hanging around the luxury tax threshold, the Nuggets front office must find ways to be crafty this off-season. I think they have proven in the past that they are more than capable of working magic.
“We really respect what’s gone on in Denver,” said Bryant, who pointed to the selling of the second-round draft pick as a clear sign that Denver is trying to gather money to pay Andersen. “We really love the management, we really love coach (George) Karl. And maybe on the top of the list is the town — that town loves this kid, and he loves them.”
Tell your people to get with my people, and let’s get something done!
A free agent can’t officially sign with a team until July 8 and, “It’s open season,” as Bryant said, “but I think realistically, we could find our range in the first week of July, that would be nice. That would be one of the (situations) — we respect you, you respect us, here it is, let’s do this.”
One possibility is back-loading the deal.
Bryant said it’s possible Andersen could get an aggregate deal, and the Nuggets, who are currently near the luxury-tax line before signing a single free agent, would hope to backload Andersen’s contract — and possibly give him an extra year — if it means reducing the amount of money Andersen makes next season (at the end of each season, any dollar a team is above the luxury-tax line has to be matched by the team and paid to the league).
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Comment from Elizabeth
Time: September 4, 2009, 7:49 pm
I AM SO HAPPY CHRIS ANDERSEN CAN HAVE HIS OWN SIG…HAIR…AND THE LITTLE BOYS THAT SEE HIM HAVE THE SAME “DO” AS HE DOES.
IT IS SO NICE TO SEE KIDS IMITATE OUR SPORT CHAMPS…IN A GOOD WAY.
CHRIS THANK YOU SO MUCH…MY AUNT 73 YEARS YOUNG LOVES YOU AND THAT’S HOW I FOUND OUT ABOUT YOU AND HOW GREAT YOU ARE…KEEP GOING AND GOD BLESS YOU.
ELIZABETH HENRY
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