Tskitishvili wants trade

[Marcus Bryant]

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nuggets/article/0,1299,DRMN_20_3236224,00.html



Tskitishvili wants trade
Lack of playing time for ex-first-round pick is reason for request

By Chris Tomasson And Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News
October 7, 2004

Denver Nuggets forward Nikoloz Tskitishvili, who has played sparingly in two seasons, has asked his agent to seek a trade.

Tskitishvili revealed Wednesday night he has made the request to his agent, Steven Heumann. He anticipates Heumann will discuss the situation with Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe when he visits Denver on Tuesday.

"I told my agent I really want to get traded," Tskitishvili said. "He said, 'Don't worry about it. I'm coming in Tuesday and I'm going to talk to Kiki.' "

This isn't the first time Tskitishvili has requested a trade. He said he instructed his agent last summer to seek a deal. The Nuggets looked but couldn't move him.

Tskitishvili, 21, barely has played since being the No. 5 pick in the 2002 draft.

With the off-season acquisition of forward Kenyon Martin, he sees little hope for the future.

"If you don't play, you don't get better," Tskitishvili said. "This is my time (to improve). . . . (The Nuggets) don't really want to let me go, but how are they going to play me? Five minutes. . . . (It will be) better if I change teams, go to a team that doesn't have a star forward."

Heumann could not be reached for comment. Vandeweghe is willing to discuss Tskitishvili's request.

"Skita's a part of our team," he said. "That's the first thing everybody's got to understand. I want the best for Skita.

"I've always said that if a player comes to me and really wants a trade, will I look? Yes.

"Will I do anything to hurt the team? No. . . . I think Skita's a good player and I think we need him. I will do everything to try to convince him this is a good place for him. Do I take those requests seriously? Yes. Do they change? Yes."

Vandeweghe said Tskitishvili "loves it" in Denver and his "only issue" is playing time.

"Skita is very competitive and he wants to be great," Vandeweghe said. "That's what I love about him."

The Nuggets must decide by Oct. 31 whether to pick up fourth- year contract options on Tskitishvili and forward Nene, whose situation appears to be a no-brainer.

Vandeweghe said he will wait until the deadline before announcing a decision on both.

[ducks]

roses replacement?

[timvp]

Nikoloz Tskitishvili would be a good risk for the Spurs. He's big, can shoot and has a lot of potential. He'll never be a star but could be a point a minute type player off the bench.

[RobinsontoDuncan]

sweet, lets go get him

[Brodels]

He'd actually have a chance if he could show that he's worth a crap. He has "bust" written all over him. If you're an underachieving, notoriously soft, end-of-the-bench player, you should keep your damn mouth shut and improve your game instead of pretending that you're Shaq.

[genghisrex]

If there's a good deal to be made, I'd pull the trigger for Skita, but I can't think of one. He's making ~$3 million so unless Kiki wants Malik, which I doubt, it'd be tough for the Spurs to come up with enough salary to trade without giving up someone more valuable. Some might say Rasho could go, but Skita's even softer and he's way too light to play center.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

Tskitish is a scrub. No thanks.

[exstatic]

I do think he has potential, but I think they're going to want one of the top 5 or 6 players on your roster, at least. They have to save face over drafting some bench bound Euro. No thanks.

Pop may give him a chance in 2-3 years when the Nugs are through with him.

[T Park]

Id trade Horry for him.

I think hes got quite a bit of potential.

[timvp]

At RMR, he was the most p-whipped player there. No matter where he was, his gf was at his side. Even when he was on the bench ... she was right there.

He also plays with zero (0) passion. He goes out there and acts like he's doing his teammates a favor. Talent-wise, however, he is stacked. He's tall, can drain jumpers and is athletic.

If you can get him without giving up a main player, you do it and hope that Pop can whip some fire into him.

[texbound]

I think the Spurs have their eye on another European player, not Skita. Jiri Welsh from Boston is a player Pop and RC really like. They would be better off trading with Boston than with Denver. Ainge did have interest in Malik, but I don't think they would give up Welsh for him. Maybe a trade of Rose/Massenberg for Welsh/M. Stewart is feasible.

[ChumpDumper]

I'm content to wait another year to get a Georgian forward (Viktor), although Kiki wanted Bzdelik gone because he didn't play Skita and White enough to develop them.

[picnroll]

Melted butter is stiffer than Skita. He is the quintessential soft Euro and always will be.