Hunter traded to Memphis

[The Rebel]

I don't think this was a panic move, it looks to me like they figured that Hunter would still not make it through another season, and decided to save the money.

Fact of the matter is that I expected the Nuggets to do something worthwhile by now, I don't think it is going to happen. I have a feeling it will be Kleiza and Carter back, with a young big like Giles from the summer league team. Not exactly what any of us were looking for this summer, and a little **** considering the potential of this team.

[Teens On Acid]

definitely not a panic move..i hope there's something else coming.......

[pickaxe]

Shows a lot of faith in our current roster, too.

We do need one more big man ala a Rasheed Wallace or a Robert Horry type. Who is still available and or tradeable at this point (on other teams)?

[eathy]

The big doesn't have to be a shooter.

Just need someone to bang and rebound with the LA bigs. Would love David Lee.

[legendarywalton]

Something else coming? How do you compete with what has occurred this off season? Salary dump, pure and simple. Gotta sign 'Melo, Nene, and JR long term, and hope that a big man falls in our lap. If Lawson turns out well, we have a lot less to worry about.

The front office has done a good job understanding our window-- it's not now.

[DeadAirDave]

As far as I know we didn't give them any cash in this deal. It wasn't in ESPN's report and Heath, who was the only one who had knowledge of the protection on our pick, said no cash was involved.

Cash considerations were part of the deal.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/aug/07/nuggets-swap-steven-hunter-2010-pick-grizzlies/

.

[J Smitty]

No ****, there have been conflicting reports about whether or not cash was involved or not from the start. That Memphis newspaper is not anymore credible than any other source which said none was involved....so that doesn't exactly mean much.

[almost famous]

How is this not a panic move? I'll admit that the first and Hunter had little value to us, but they were nice deal sweeteners. We just threw them away on a salary dump to bring LK back from Greece. Then you have Billups telling papers that Denver needs LK. This was a clear definition of a panic move. They played hardball with LK, LK bluffed, the Nuggets were the first to fold at the last second.

[sportsmikegm23]

Something else coming? How do you compete with what has occurred this off season? Salary dump, pure and simple. Gotta sign 'Melo, Nene, and JR long term, and hope that a big man falls in our lap. If Lawson turns out well, we have a lot less to worry about.

The front office has done a good job understanding our window-- it's not now.

So tired of small minded thinking... you never know what will happen... Billups won't be as good in 2 years as he is now...you are wasting his talents. Melo might see this and say...Well, he had a chance in 08-09 but Kroenke didn't use the TPE, and didn't fortified the team in 09-10 and The Spurs, Blazers, and Lakers kick us all year.... why am I going to play for someone that when he's close won't foot the bill to be a champion!!!! I am flat out pissed at Kroenke and the FO... wasting this opportunity. You can never assume championships are coming down the road...even with great players...I know you have to look at the future, but what future...they aren't stockpiling draft picks, they haven't developed anyone?

If you are banking on Ty Lawson being as great as Billups has been... I hope you are right, but I wouldn't bet on it.

You are wrong legendary...the window is now. Everyone thought in the mid 80's that the Nuggets team that got to the WCF would have another few cracks at the WCF...never happened.

It's one thing to dump Camby and lower payroll when your team keeps getting beat in the 1st round... we were one solid big man away from potentially winning a championship. and the window is not now??? Goody...we're number 6...but we are really good...YAY Team.....whatever!!!!!

Forget it...let's not even play next season... it's just a waste of time and money... maybe Kroenke could save up and really make a serious run at another WCF in 2015???

Herm Edwards as the Jets coach said it best, "You play to win the game!!!!!!!!!"

[The Rebel]

How is this not a panic move? I'll admit that the first and Hunter had little value to us, but they were nice deal sweeteners. We just threw them away on a salary dump to bring LK back from Greece. Then you have Billups telling papers that Denver needs LK. This was a clear definition of a panic move. They played hardball with LK, LK bluffed, the Nuggets were the first to fold at the last second.

It is one thing to look at a deal where the Nuggets traded a player that could be productive and say that it was a panic move when the guy gets traded for nothing. It is another thing when a who even being fully healthy would be an end of the rotation player gets traded for nothing after being injured for the last couple of years, and insisting on trying to come back once again. This is not a big deal, I am sure the team was looking to move him for the last couple of years, and finally found someone that was willing to take him, it is purely coincidence that LK got his offer at the same time.

As for the pick, it was worthless, you can buy a late 1st every year if you really find a guy you like at that spot.

The question is who do they replace these guys with, as that will show where the team really stands.

[Nuggets_Talk]

how is this a panic move? this is a smart move you can make no matter what situation you are in? giving up a medicre pick (at best) to dump 7+ mill? hunter was less than worthless and a salary we have all been dying to get rid of for awhile. its not like he was ok or even just bad (like petro). he played 0 minutes for 7 mill per.

[almost famous]

An expiring contract wouldn't be useless in February. I don't care how useless the player is. Teams that discover they aren't going anywhere with their roster will be scrambling to snatch up expiring contracts for the 2010 free agents. The Nuggets are not likely to sign a useful player this summer.

And a first round pick could sweeten a possible deal that is on the edge. Not incredibly useful, but sometimes it's the little things that can be the difference.

Anyway, no point in going back and forth if we just don't agree. Moving on.

[The Rebel]

Do you honestly believe that an expiring contract would be worth more then a TPE? Teams will take the free tax cut faster then replacing one contract with another through the end of the year.

[almost famous]

The TPE really isn't very useful in our situation. Our owner doesn't want to add salary without losing some, and there is only a few months for him to change his mind.

Though I never said an expiring is worth more than a TPE, I think I'd agree with that statement in our case.

[J Smitty]

That point is slightly hypocritical in this situation though, don't you think? Your point was that Hunter's expiring contract could have been valuable at the deadline. That is true. However a TPE would not be because our owner doesn't want to add salary without losing some? Ok, fair point. But the thing is, that TPE that we got was done so by getting rid of Hunter's salary, and is worth the exact same amount as his salary. Therefore come the deadline, if we want to make a trade, we will have a TPE worth what Hunter was making.....and it's not like we'd be adding anymore salary without losing some, because we already got rid of Hunter's contract. It's basically the same thing as having Hunter's expiring contract, only a team wouldn't have to take on that money, making it slightly more valuable in that regard.

There are other factors that come into play, of course. But the idea that we're losing a good trading chip by swapping Hunter's expiring contract for TPE worth the same amount is slightly off base.

[almost famous]

Oooh... duh. I see what you guys are saying. For some reason I didn't think about the TPE we would be getting for Hunter. I don't know why I blanked that out. That makes my whole case just one big contradiction.

Anyway, thanks for clearing that up, brother.