DENVER -- Nuggets executive Masai Ujiri keeps tinkering with the roster as the playoffs draw near, trying to find just the right mix for coach George Karl. Ujiri dealt away big man Nene at the trade deadline to free up money, presumably to help pull off this move: Agreeing to a five-year deal Sunday with versatile forward Wilson Chandler that's worth nearly $37 million. Chandler has been itching to hoist up jumpers again in the NBA, even showing up to a Nuggets game last month where he received a rowdy round of applause from the Pepsi Center crowd and casually chatted with teammates in the locker room after the contest. He played overseas for Zhejiang Guangsha of the Chinese Basketball Association during the lockout, averaging nearly 27 points and 12 rebounds in 32 games. Once the NBA season started back up, Chandler was ineligible to return until his team and FIBA, basketball's governing body, signed off. When all the hurdles were cleared, he returned to the Mile High City. "It is great to have Wilson back on our roster," Ujiri said. "It was a very unique situation signing a talented free agent in the middle of the season." The 24-year-old Chandler arrived in Denver last February as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks. Chandler was an instant spark, helping the Nuggets go 18-7 down the stretch before falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. At 25-20, the Nuggets are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff chase. And Chandler could once again be a big addition down the stretch. On Thursday, Ujiri orchestrated a three-team trade that sent the injury-proneNene to Washington, with the Wizards shipping JaVale McGee and Ronny Turiaf to Denver and Nick Young to the Los Angeles Clippers. Washington also picked up forward Brian Cook in the deal along with a second-round pick in 2015 from the Clippers. The Nuggets turned around and waived Turiaf on Sunday. Denver signedNene to a new five-year, $67 million contract in December. He was averaging 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in an injury-plagued season. But the low-post presence of rookie forward Kenneth Faried madeNene and his big contract expendable. Faried had a career-high 16 rebounds in a 98-91 win over the Boston Celtics on Saturday night. http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7706856/denver-nuggets-re-sign-wilson-chandler-5-year-37-million-deal
Nice signing for them. Lawson/Miller Affalo/Fernandez Galo/Chandler Farried/Harrington Mozgov/Anderson Just imagine if NeNe was fully healthy and motivated. Cause all they are missing from contending is a guy they can dump it down to. (Forget about McGee, the guy is a joke)
No way Chandler is a bench player, and the joke McGee is good for 12 pts and 9 boards which is not shabby. Lawson Afflalo Chandler Galo McGee
i like their roster sure they have no superstar, but its deep, has some talent and they seem to play and together sort of remind me of the billups/rip pistons team, pity the rest of the teams better than them are loaded with superstars
The nugg's are pretty solid for the future Lawson/ Afflalo/Fernandez/Brewer Gallinari/Chandler/Hamilton K.Faried/ McGee/ All 26 and under.
Yet another WC team's front office that's doing better than ours, and yet unheralded, quietly getting the job done. Of course, your Minnesotas and (Seattle)OKCs and Denvers had their own unique circumstances. Still.
Wait, how is signing a career 13 PER, marginal player, for a contract bigger than Kyle Lowry's "doing better" than the Rockets? They're doing the exact same thing as the Rockets - treading water.
Damn, wish we could've gotten him but that was a pipe dream. However, good signing on the part of the Nuggets and WOW I didn't know WC was only 24. He's got a lot of good basketball left.
So now Denver has about $18 mill per year wrapped up in the SF spot in Galinari and Chandler. I'm wondering where this is headed. They're set in the backcourt with Lawson/Afflalo. And now $18 million at the SF spot with neither guy being a true superstar. I suspect Chandler is traded at some point for big man help.
They'll still be 20M under the cap next year with about 35M in committed salary. I guess they're in a similar boat to Houston, it's really a matter of whether or not a super star would actually sign with them. If they wanted to clear even more money, I think they'd be OK cutting JaVale McGee loose. They could also trade Al Harrington who makes about 7.5M a year with 4 years left on his contract but he's been pretty productive.
If they are lucky. Nuggets just tied a millstone around their neck. Wilson Chandler is the definition of (1) "nothing special" and (2) "doesn't do anything particularly well". Can't remember seeing him play one good game with the Nuggets last season and he was garbage against OKC in the playoffs Somebody explain why this is good for Denver beyond this season.
