Nuggets Keep Nene; Trade Dominoes To Follow
The first domino has officially fallen, with the Denver Nuggets reaching an agreement with free agent center Nene on what is, according to Sports Illustrated‘s Sam Amick, a five year, $67 million contract.
Now the fun can really begin.
The New Jersey Nets likely fall out of the Dwight Howard discussion with Nene not in town, meaning the Los Angeles Lakers likely have the inside track should the Orlando Magic decide they have to trade Howard before they risk losing him next summer. The latest out of Orlando is that Dwight is no longer seeking a trade, but he seems to flip-flop on that at least once a day.
The Houston Rockets will also have to move on after missing out on all three of the top centers in free agency. Nene was their last hope, and they will now set their sights on Samuel Dalembert, who is anything but a sure bet to land in Houston with the Sacramento Kings and now, likely, the New Jersey Nets vying for his services. Both teams can offer him more than Houston, should they deem him worth a bidding war.
Now, perhaps, Jamal Crawford will make a decision, as well. He has the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers and Denver Nuggets all offering similar contracts, though earlier today he reportedly told the Pacers he wasn’t interested.
One way or the other, with Nene off the market expect to see movement on a number of other free agents and trades, and more than a few things were waiting to see where Nene landed before they moved forward.
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