Chris Dempsey - The Denver Post

Hot Topics: Denver Weather [http://www.denverpost.com/weathernews/ci_26292303/denver-weather-sports-fans-should-be-warm-perhaps?source=hot-topic-bar] Cool Cities Twelve Restaurant Broncos vs. Seahawks Tulo Talks "Change" Landon Donovan The Cannabist News Tips PREVIOUS COLUMNS Dempsey: Rest of NBA waits for LeBron, Melo to make their moves - 07/05/2014 10:24 PM MDT Dempsey: Nuggets could go any of many directions in NBA draft - 06/21/2014 11:00 PM MDT Dempsey: Here's hoping the Spurs spark better basketball - 06/14/2014 11:38 PM MDT Dempsey: Heat, Spurs show way to get, stay good to Nuggets - 06/07/2014 11:59 PM MDT Dempsey: NBA drifts away from favoring centers, but Joel Embiid lurks - 05/31/2014 11:15 PM MDT Dempsey: Nuggets president Josh Kroenke builds foundation piece by piece - 05/24/2014 11:20 PM MDT Dempsey: Great debate: Chris Paul's status - 05/18/2014 12:53 AM MDT Dempsey: Pacers appear to have a pulse - 05/10/2014 11:52 PM MDT Dempsey: NBA features historic drama in first round of playoffs - 05/04/2014 12:27 AM MDT Dempsey: Bad Boys were great; ensuing era just bad - 04/12/2014 11:51 PM MDT Christopher Dempsey Dempsey: Rest of NBA waits for LeBron, Melo to make their moves By Christopher Dempsey The Denver Post Posted: 07/05/2014 10:24:07 PM MDT Updated: 07/05/2014 10:24:58 PM MDT In this April 15, 2012, file photo, New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, left, defends against Miami Heat's LeBron James in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New York. ( Seth Wenig, AP file ) Almost no official NBA business is as fastidious as free agency. It is a very particular process in which one deal leads to another, and the decision of a few affects the futures of the vast majority. This is where we sit. In patience mode. The floodgates are ready to open, if only LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony would pull the lever. The decisions on their next destinations are key, even if they are simply returning to the franchises they played for this past season. James' decision, however, is the most important to unlocking this year's free-agent spending spree. And the money matters. If the King insists on, and gets, a max contract from the Heat, Miami's ability to fully support him with a better team takes a hit. So higher-dollar free agents find homes elsewhere immediately, opening up options for other teams to land players they might not have initially had a chance to get. And that pushes others down the totem pole a bit, giving even close-to-the-tax teams like the Nuggets a chance to sign a good player at a much cheaper rate than would have otherwise been possible. If James gives Miami the hometown discount, the higher-dollar free agents would be easier to sign to the Heat — even if they took a small salary haircut. That raises others up a level. So then the player who might have been available to the Nuggets at a bargain price is now signing a more lucrative contract with a team that missed out on a player who was signed by the Heat or team just below Miami's level. It is a domino effect of the highest level. Cause and effect. And it can't get started until the big names choose teams and sign contracts. So we all wait. In Denver, there is interest, especially because the point guard market is in play big time in Miami. The Nuggets could be in the market for a third point guard, and it wouldn't hurt to have one on the roster. And two things are working in their favor: First, the backup point guard market is flat-out packed — Luke Ridnour, Kirk Hinrich, Aaron Brooks, Steve Blake, Beno Udrih, Toney Douglas, Ramon Sessions, Thabo Sefolosha, Mo Williams and Earl Watson, among others, are out there. The Nuggets had Brooks on the roster from the trade deadline to the end of last season and liked what he brought to the table. Whether it is realistic to think he would return remains to be seen. But quality could fall to the Nuggets for the right price, and we're probably talking for less than $2 million per season for them to seriously think about it. Ultimately, the team is in an enviable situation in which it doesn't have to force anything at all during free agency. If Denver did nothing the rest of the summer, it already has a team it is confident in putting on the floor in the fall. But at least for the time being, the Nuggets can sit back and watch it all shake out before making a serious move. They have no choice, really. None of the NBA does. Free agency is in limbo until James and Anthony set the system's wheels in motion. Nurkic update. Center Jusuf Nurkic, the Nuggets' 16th overall pick in this year's draft, should have no issues with a contract buyout from his current club team, and Denver executives expect him with the team for the start of next season. Getting him to summer league, however, has been more challenging. Nurkic has a commitment to play with the Bosnian national team, and its practices and games are running at the same time as the NBA's Las Vegas summer league, which starts Friday and goes until July 21. The Nuggets are continuing to work on a solution that gets Nurkic at least some time with the team in Vegas. They begin practices this week for summer league. Christopher Dempsey: cdempsey@denverpost.com or twitter.com/dempseypost Return to Top ( John Leyba, The Denver Post ) Broncos Broncos take on Seahawks in preseason battle for pride The Broncos begin the preseason with a barometer to see if their offseason makeover closed the gap on the Seahawks since the Super Bowl beatdown. The night began with good news as wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders will start after dealing with a slight quad strain. Game Delayed: A primer on NFL lightning rules Gametracker: Denver Broncos vs. Seattle Seahawks at Mile High Rematch: Preseason opener a matter of pride for Broncos Live Blog: Broncos host Seahawks in preseason opener Seahawks vs. Broncos: 5 goals for Denver in preseason opener Broncos offense: How can they beat a defense like the Seahawks? Inspiration: Matt Holliday feels Montee Ball's pain Blog: Analysis, notes and buzz at First and Orange Broncos Mailbag: Pose a question for Mike Klis Complete coverage of the Denver Broncos from The Denver Post Lightning delays Broncos-Seahawks game late in first quarter Juan Nicasio returns to Rockies from Triple-A as a relief pitcher Matt Holliday knows Montee Ball's pain, but recovery offers hope (Rachelle Blidner/AP) Bad bite: A tick can make you allergic to red meat A bug can turn you into a vegetarian, or at least make you swear off red meat. Doctors across the nation are seeing a surge of sudden meat allergies in people bitten by a certain kind of tick. Mom who did 124 mph with kids in car sent to jail Texas fisherman catches 809-pound tiger shark Museum rediscovers ancient skeleton in storage Hachette Book Group calls off deal to buy Perseus NEW YORK (AP) — Hachette Book Group said Thursday it has scrapped its proposed three-way deal that would have had it buying the publishing division of the Perseus Book Group, while selling Perseus' client-service business to leading distributor Ingram Content Group. Full Story Dorothy Salisbury Davis, author, dead at 98 Nixon's back! (At least on Twitter) Judge hears arguments on Corcoran Gallery merger The Bottom Line Celebrities Culture Oddities Comedy Good News Comics Games Advice Polls Blogs ‹ › Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | MNG Corporate Site Map | Copyright