Nuggets have to lump it
Injuries to Nene, Russell leave team with few options
By Aaron J. Lopez, Rocky Mountain News
November 5, 2005
When it comes to roster flexibility, the knee bone is connected to the wrist bone.
Knee injuries to forward Nene and swingman Bryon Russell have left the Denver Nuggets with their hands tied.
Russell, invited to training camp on a nonguaranteed contract, is expected to be sidelined four to five months after surgery Friday to repair a medial meniscus tear in his right knee.
Nene will undergo surgery later this month to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, and he probably will miss the remainder of the season.
Both players count against Denver's 15-man roster, but Nene isn't going anywhere and there is little incentive for the Nuggets to release Russell.
League rules allow teams to waive injured players - thus opening a roster spot - but they must pay the player until he is deemed fit to play again.
Because he has more than 10 years of experience, Russell's salary is $1.14 million this season, with the Nuggets picking up $719,373 and the NBA covering the rest.
Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe would have difficulty convincing owner Stan Kroenke to keep paying a waived Russell just for the sake of bringing in another minimum-salary guy who might serve as little more than a practice player.
"We don't have a lot of options on the matter," Vandeweghe said.
Other factors to consider:
• If Russell is waived, his rehabilitation cannot be overseen by the Nuggets, leaving the team susceptible to conflicting opinions as to when Russell is physically able to return to the court.
• Russell must be on Denver's roster the entire season for the NBA to cover nearly $400,000 of his salary under a policy that encourages teams to sign more experienced players even though they earn more money.
"Bryon's a great guy to have around," Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Once he gets healthy, we might teach him how to be a coach a little bit."
Nene, meanwhile, is walking without crutches because his doctors do not want atrophy to set in while the swelling in his knee subsides.
The 23-year-old also is pondering his surgical options. Agent Michael Coyne said doctors can use a ligament from a cadaver or use a part of Nene's hamstring to repair his damaged ACL.
"He's remarkably upbeat," Coyne said. "It's amazing."
COMIC RELIEF: Nuggets rookie Julius Hodge said he used his Jim Carrey/Dave Chappelle sense of humor to help cope with an allegation of attempted sexual assault.
The Denver District Attorney's Office dropped the charges Thursday, saying it did not believe it could prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
"I just very happy that this situation is finally over," Hodge said Friday. "My mom had a saying since I was a young child that the truth shall set you free. I'm happy now that the truth has come to light."
A 37-year-old woman who is on probation in an assault case accused Hodge of trying to rape her at his Denver condo Oct. 12.
"It's unfortunate that anyone can say anything about a good person and something like this could happen," Hodge said.
WATSON MAKES DEBUT: Earl Watson has played in at least 80 games each of the past two seasons. He might have trouble reaching that milestone in his first season with the Nuggets.
After watching Denver's first two games from the bench, Watson finally made his Nuggets debut Friday night, scoring five points in the final six minutes of a 107-68 win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Karl planned to meet with the fifth-year point guard today to discuss any frustrations.
"I don't try to read nobody's mind," Watson said. "I can't control other people's decisions. . . . I know I can play. My confidence has never shaken or wavered."
Watson, who averaged 7.7 points, 4.5 assists and 22.6 minutes in 80 games with the Memphis Grizzlies last season, signed a five-year, $29 million contract to back up incumbent Denver point guards Andre Miller and Earl Boykins.
Karl said two key factors are keeping Watson off the court: He is making Miller and Boykins better by his hard work in practice, and he is still learning the offense and tendencies of his teammates. "I told him (Friday) that I know no one's happy when they sit on the bench, especially a guy that deserves to play that has the talent to play and can start for some NBA basketball teams," Karl said.
