ducks
10-02-2004, 12:48 PM
Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News
Spanning more than five stories, the plastic tarp hanging from the west side of the Pepsi Center protects the final phases of a major construction project.
Men wearing hard hats and holding clipboards move along a walkway above the unfashionably green tarp as they go about their daily duties expanding the offices of Kroenke Sports Enterprises. Given the 21st century overhaul experienced by the resident NBA team, you almost expect to see Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe performing quality-control inspections.
Five months after playoff basketball returned to Denver for the first time since 1995, Vandeweghe is ready to unveil the next phase of his own ambitious rebuilding plan.
Strengthened by the acquisition of an All-Star power forward and energized by the return of a 20-year-old All-Star-in-waiting, the Nuggets begin training camp Tuesday with expectations that would have seemed preposterous only two years ago.
The franchise that won 17 games in 2002-03 is thinking big in 2004-05.
"I think we're going to have the approach from the beginning of the year that we're playing for home-court advantage in the playoffs," said 5-foot-5 point guard Earl Boykins, who has made a career of exceeding expectations.
"That should be our goal, to finish in the top four, because home court is such a big advantage. Last year, I think we were just happy to get to the playoffs."
By nearly all accounts, the Nuggets were a nice little feel-good story in 2003-04.
They introduced a future All-Star in Carmelo Anthony, signed underrated point guard Andre Miller and resurrected the fast-break offense that left opponents breathless at altitude.
They witnessed the resurrection of center Marcus Camby, won 43 games and advanced to the postseason before the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves delivered a first-round reality check.
Perhaps most important, the Nuggets shed their longtime label as unlovable losers, allowing Vandeweghe to be a formidable player in the free-agent recruiting game.
"You don't want to go to a team where you're going to be a doormat," Kenyon Martin said while sitting in the Nuggets players' lounge this week.
After making two trips to the NBA Finals in four seasons with New Jersey, Martin became Denver's marquee off-season addition July 15 when Vandeweghe deftly orchestrated a sign-and-trade deal with the Nets.
The Nuggets gave up three first-round draft picks and made a bold statement in the West by giving Martin a seven-year, $92.5 million contract.
On paper, the move looks like a slam dunk for Denver, which has lacked consistency at power forward since Antonio McDyess made the All-Star team three years ago.
Martin loves to run, and his scoring, rebounding and shooting have improved overall in his first four seasons. Oh, yeah, he also brings the intensity of Rambo to the court each game.
"He's hard-nosed, he's tough and he's an intimidator," Miller said. "He's a guy teams don't want to play against."
Martin also is a guy who won't let an eight-figure contract go to his head. Within weeks of signing his new deal, he was at the Pepsi Center lifting weights and working on his game.
"It's been about a month now that I've been ready to go," he said. "I had to get back in the gym and do something. I've got that itch back. I'm excited. A new start. A new beginning. New goals. I'm looking forward to it."
What's not to look forward to?
Camby, who played in a career-most 72 games, returns as the shot-blocking presence in the middle after signing a new six-year contract.
He and Martin will run interference and act as enforcers for Anthony, who averaged 21.0 points and 6.1 rebounds while rewriting the Nuggets' rookie record book last season.
Don't be surprised to see Anthony, surrounded by talent and experience and motivated by a disappointing performance in the Olympics, put up even better numbers in 2004-05.
"People say sophomore jinx, but I don't believe in that if you go out and play the right way," said Martin, the No. 1 overall pick in 2000.
"The kid can play, there's no doubt about it. He can get the job done. I don't see anything being any different."
The biggest difference for the Nuggets will be the presence of high expectations.
Win totals from seasons past read like losing Powerball numbers (21-11-14-35-27-17), and they inevitably landed Denver in the draft lottery.
Thanks to a blueprint based on patience and salary-cap preservation, Vandeweghe has constructed a team that Denver actually can claim on an annual basis.
The Nuggets return all five starters from a year ago, and Anthony, Boykins, Camby, Martin, Miller and Nene (safely assuming the Nuggets pick up his fourth-year option) are under contract through at least 2005-06.
Denver fans also seem to be investing in the future. Season-ticket sales are expected to increase 10 percent to 20 percent this year, according to Paul Andrews, chief marketing officer for Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
"If we're not getting better, I don't think we're doing our job," Vandeweghe said. "Each year, you try to get a little bit better. Right now, on paper, we're better, but we have to go on the court and prove it."
Nobody has more to prove than coach Jeff Bzdelik, who inherited a developmental league roster when he was hired in 2002.
Denver won only 17 games in Bzdelik's first season but impressed people with its energy and effort.
Given some talent to work with last year, Bzdelik improved his winning percentage from .207 to .524 and guaranteed his contract for 2004-05 by taking the Nuggets to the playoffs.
Denver's rise from the ashes was not enough to earn Bzdelik long-term security, and his future on the bench will depend on how the Nuggets acquit themselves in the West.
"I personally embrace those high expectations," Bzdelik said.
"In this business, you have to prove yourself every day. The day you relax is the day you're done."
Playing in the newly aligned Northwest Division with Minnesota, Portland, Seattle and Utah, R&R will not be an option for the Nuggets.
Minnesota advanced to the conference finals in the spring, and Utah and Portland battled with the Nuggets for the final playoff spot until the final week of the season.
And then there are the usual postseason suspects: the Lakers, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Sacramento.
Home-court advantage in the first round? Vandeweghe likes his team's chances, but he also knows better than to make bold predictions that might look foolish come April.
"You look at the rest of the West and the good teams improved themselves, and even the teams that didn't make the playoffs improved," Vandeweghe said.
"Hopefully, we have improved ourselves this summer and we can maintain and improve our position in the West."
He and the Nuggets will find out soon enough.
The team behind the green tarp steps foot on the proving grounds Nov. 2.
Mark your calendar
Key dates for the Denver Nuggets for the 2004-05 season:
• Tuesday - Training camp begins with twice-daily workouts. Sessions closed to the public.
• Oct. 12 - Annual Blue/White scrimmage at the Pepsi Center.
• Oct. 14 - First preseason game, against the Milwaukee Bucks at the World Arena in Colorado Springs.
• Oct. 29 - Final preseason tuneup, at Indiana.
• Nov. 2 - Regular-season opener, on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Nov. 4 - Home opener, against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a rematch of their first-round playoff series last year.
• Dec. 4 - Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat make their only regular-season appearance in Denver.
• Feb. 18-20 - NBA All-Star Weekend at the Pepsi Center.
• April 19 - Regular-season finale, at home against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Five key questions
1 After an impressive rookie season, can Carmelo Anthony avoid the sophomore jinx? Nuggets fans had better hope that Anthony's summer was not an indication of the season ahead. He was portrayed as being selfish while playing poorly for the underachieving U.S. Olympics team, and he made tabloid headlines after a run-in at a New York club a few weeks ago. It all could add up to motivation for Denver's most talented all-around player.
2 How will Kenyon Martin adjust to his new surroundings? Considering his reputation as one of the NBA's fiercest competitors, don't expect Martin to become passive after signing a seven-year, $92.5 million contract. He is a monster rebounder perfectly suited for Denver's up-tempo offense, and he will be eager to prove himself worthy of his recent windfall.
3 Can coach Jeff Bzdelik win enough games to win a long-term contract? By guiding the Nuggets to 43 victories and a playoff berth, Bzdelik guaranteed his contract for 2004-05 but did not receive an enthusiastic public endorsement from general manager Kiki Vandeweghe. Anything short of 55 wins and a trip to the Western Conference finals might mean the dawn of the Michael Cooper Era.
4 Will Nene or Marcus Camby come off the bench? Martin's addition will send one of these two big men to the bench, leaving Bzdelik with a problem that all coaches wish they had more often. Camby can block shots and is a monster rebounder, and Nene finishes fast breaks like few power forwards. Because he has seniority, the starting edge goes to Camby.
5 Can you say Western Conference semifinals? After reaching the postseason for the first time in nine years, Denver added Martin and lost none of its key players. The Nuggets have their sights set on a top-four finish in the West, which would give them a home-court advantage in the first round. If they stay healthy, there's plenty of reason to look forward to an extended playoff run in 2005.
Spanning more than five stories, the plastic tarp hanging from the west side of the Pepsi Center protects the final phases of a major construction project.
Men wearing hard hats and holding clipboards move along a walkway above the unfashionably green tarp as they go about their daily duties expanding the offices of Kroenke Sports Enterprises. Given the 21st century overhaul experienced by the resident NBA team, you almost expect to see Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe performing quality-control inspections.
Five months after playoff basketball returned to Denver for the first time since 1995, Vandeweghe is ready to unveil the next phase of his own ambitious rebuilding plan.
Strengthened by the acquisition of an All-Star power forward and energized by the return of a 20-year-old All-Star-in-waiting, the Nuggets begin training camp Tuesday with expectations that would have seemed preposterous only two years ago.
The franchise that won 17 games in 2002-03 is thinking big in 2004-05.
"I think we're going to have the approach from the beginning of the year that we're playing for home-court advantage in the playoffs," said 5-foot-5 point guard Earl Boykins, who has made a career of exceeding expectations.
"That should be our goal, to finish in the top four, because home court is such a big advantage. Last year, I think we were just happy to get to the playoffs."
By nearly all accounts, the Nuggets were a nice little feel-good story in 2003-04.
They introduced a future All-Star in Carmelo Anthony, signed underrated point guard Andre Miller and resurrected the fast-break offense that left opponents breathless at altitude.
They witnessed the resurrection of center Marcus Camby, won 43 games and advanced to the postseason before the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves delivered a first-round reality check.
Perhaps most important, the Nuggets shed their longtime label as unlovable losers, allowing Vandeweghe to be a formidable player in the free-agent recruiting game.
"You don't want to go to a team where you're going to be a doormat," Kenyon Martin said while sitting in the Nuggets players' lounge this week.
After making two trips to the NBA Finals in four seasons with New Jersey, Martin became Denver's marquee off-season addition July 15 when Vandeweghe deftly orchestrated a sign-and-trade deal with the Nets.
The Nuggets gave up three first-round draft picks and made a bold statement in the West by giving Martin a seven-year, $92.5 million contract.
On paper, the move looks like a slam dunk for Denver, which has lacked consistency at power forward since Antonio McDyess made the All-Star team three years ago.
Martin loves to run, and his scoring, rebounding and shooting have improved overall in his first four seasons. Oh, yeah, he also brings the intensity of Rambo to the court each game.
"He's hard-nosed, he's tough and he's an intimidator," Miller said. "He's a guy teams don't want to play against."
Martin also is a guy who won't let an eight-figure contract go to his head. Within weeks of signing his new deal, he was at the Pepsi Center lifting weights and working on his game.
"It's been about a month now that I've been ready to go," he said. "I had to get back in the gym and do something. I've got that itch back. I'm excited. A new start. A new beginning. New goals. I'm looking forward to it."
What's not to look forward to?
Camby, who played in a career-most 72 games, returns as the shot-blocking presence in the middle after signing a new six-year contract.
He and Martin will run interference and act as enforcers for Anthony, who averaged 21.0 points and 6.1 rebounds while rewriting the Nuggets' rookie record book last season.
Don't be surprised to see Anthony, surrounded by talent and experience and motivated by a disappointing performance in the Olympics, put up even better numbers in 2004-05.
"People say sophomore jinx, but I don't believe in that if you go out and play the right way," said Martin, the No. 1 overall pick in 2000.
"The kid can play, there's no doubt about it. He can get the job done. I don't see anything being any different."
The biggest difference for the Nuggets will be the presence of high expectations.
Win totals from seasons past read like losing Powerball numbers (21-11-14-35-27-17), and they inevitably landed Denver in the draft lottery.
Thanks to a blueprint based on patience and salary-cap preservation, Vandeweghe has constructed a team that Denver actually can claim on an annual basis.
The Nuggets return all five starters from a year ago, and Anthony, Boykins, Camby, Martin, Miller and Nene (safely assuming the Nuggets pick up his fourth-year option) are under contract through at least 2005-06.
Denver fans also seem to be investing in the future. Season-ticket sales are expected to increase 10 percent to 20 percent this year, according to Paul Andrews, chief marketing officer for Kroenke Sports Enterprises.
"If we're not getting better, I don't think we're doing our job," Vandeweghe said. "Each year, you try to get a little bit better. Right now, on paper, we're better, but we have to go on the court and prove it."
Nobody has more to prove than coach Jeff Bzdelik, who inherited a developmental league roster when he was hired in 2002.
Denver won only 17 games in Bzdelik's first season but impressed people with its energy and effort.
Given some talent to work with last year, Bzdelik improved his winning percentage from .207 to .524 and guaranteed his contract for 2004-05 by taking the Nuggets to the playoffs.
Denver's rise from the ashes was not enough to earn Bzdelik long-term security, and his future on the bench will depend on how the Nuggets acquit themselves in the West.
"I personally embrace those high expectations," Bzdelik said.
"In this business, you have to prove yourself every day. The day you relax is the day you're done."
Playing in the newly aligned Northwest Division with Minnesota, Portland, Seattle and Utah, R&R will not be an option for the Nuggets.
Minnesota advanced to the conference finals in the spring, and Utah and Portland battled with the Nuggets for the final playoff spot until the final week of the season.
And then there are the usual postseason suspects: the Lakers, San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Sacramento.
Home-court advantage in the first round? Vandeweghe likes his team's chances, but he also knows better than to make bold predictions that might look foolish come April.
"You look at the rest of the West and the good teams improved themselves, and even the teams that didn't make the playoffs improved," Vandeweghe said.
"Hopefully, we have improved ourselves this summer and we can maintain and improve our position in the West."
He and the Nuggets will find out soon enough.
The team behind the green tarp steps foot on the proving grounds Nov. 2.
Mark your calendar
Key dates for the Denver Nuggets for the 2004-05 season:
• Tuesday - Training camp begins with twice-daily workouts. Sessions closed to the public.
• Oct. 12 - Annual Blue/White scrimmage at the Pepsi Center.
• Oct. 14 - First preseason game, against the Milwaukee Bucks at the World Arena in Colorado Springs.
• Oct. 29 - Final preseason tuneup, at Indiana.
• Nov. 2 - Regular-season opener, on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Nov. 4 - Home opener, against the Minnesota Timberwolves in a rematch of their first-round playoff series last year.
• Dec. 4 - Shaquille O'Neal and the Miami Heat make their only regular-season appearance in Denver.
• Feb. 18-20 - NBA All-Star Weekend at the Pepsi Center.
• April 19 - Regular-season finale, at home against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Five key questions
1 After an impressive rookie season, can Carmelo Anthony avoid the sophomore jinx? Nuggets fans had better hope that Anthony's summer was not an indication of the season ahead. He was portrayed as being selfish while playing poorly for the underachieving U.S. Olympics team, and he made tabloid headlines after a run-in at a New York club a few weeks ago. It all could add up to motivation for Denver's most talented all-around player.
2 How will Kenyon Martin adjust to his new surroundings? Considering his reputation as one of the NBA's fiercest competitors, don't expect Martin to become passive after signing a seven-year, $92.5 million contract. He is a monster rebounder perfectly suited for Denver's up-tempo offense, and he will be eager to prove himself worthy of his recent windfall.
3 Can coach Jeff Bzdelik win enough games to win a long-term contract? By guiding the Nuggets to 43 victories and a playoff berth, Bzdelik guaranteed his contract for 2004-05 but did not receive an enthusiastic public endorsement from general manager Kiki Vandeweghe. Anything short of 55 wins and a trip to the Western Conference finals might mean the dawn of the Michael Cooper Era.
4 Will Nene or Marcus Camby come off the bench? Martin's addition will send one of these two big men to the bench, leaving Bzdelik with a problem that all coaches wish they had more often. Camby can block shots and is a monster rebounder, and Nene finishes fast breaks like few power forwards. Because he has seniority, the starting edge goes to Camby.
5 Can you say Western Conference semifinals? After reaching the postseason for the first time in nine years, Denver added Martin and lost none of its key players. The Nuggets have their sights set on a top-four finish in the West, which would give them a home-court advantage in the first round. If they stay healthy, there's plenty of reason to look forward to an extended playoff run in 2005.