The Denver Post's (ATH) Woody Paige Sez...

[ABM]

http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_13047901

Woody: First, I've got to say you're my favorite person on ATH. The Nuggets had a good run last year. Do you think they can repeat? If you were coach would you go for Carlos Boozer?
-- Jake Pace, Kentucky

Jake: I think it will be difficult for the Nuggets to win 54 games and return to the Western Conference finals. The Spurs have beefed up their talent, and Manu Ginobili will be back healthy, which will make a world of difference. We know the Lakers got stronger. Portland picked up Andre Miller. You might remember him. The Trailblazers are my pick to go to the conference finals.............

 

[alex42083]

Woody is the national version of Mike Rice. The guys is pretty crazy when he's in front of the camera, but I hope he's right. A young up-and-coming Blazers team vs. the world champion Lakers in the WCF would be straight up awesome this year.

 

[TehChad]

Woody Paige is a great guy, I had the opportunity of having lunch with him once. He's a REALLY smart guy, WAY smarter than you'd ever think. He even appeared (and won) on Jeopardy once IIRC. He's very funny, knows his sports, and is a person who truly does love life. And let's face it: ATH would be NOTHING without Woody.

Anyway, I think he's much smarter and more credible than 99% of the columnists out there, so I'm glad to see he thinks big things of the Blazers. Just another reason for me being almost giddy for this upcoming season.

 

[barfo]

And let's face it: ATH would be NOTHING without Woody.

Yeth. Erectile dythfunction ith no fun.

barfo

 

[RedHotRollin]

Woody is a very smart man apparently. But I agree. I think natural evolution and the addition of Andre Miller puts the blazers in the wcf against the lakers.

I would be even more convinced of this if KP added another banger.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Wow . . . the Nuggets have a $9 million trade exemption.

Boozer on the Nuggets would be scary.

 

[RedHotRollin]

Wow . . . the Nuggets have a $9 million trade exemption.

Boozer on the Nuggets would be scary.

Why would Utah be interested in sending Boozer to a division rival?

I don't see that occuring. Besides, I think Boozer is a lot more of the same for the nuggets.

 

[e.l.e.]

From John Hollinger's chat, for what it's worth:

Jimmy (Towaco)


Is there any chance Denver uses its huge trade exception to add another key piece? And do teams that acquire players via the trade exception exempt from paying the tax on those players? Lastly what is Denver's primary need?

John Hollinger (3:21 PM)


Not likely -- the Nuggets are already in a precarious situation payroll and tax-wise and they don't have the revenues to support it. Owner Stan Kroenke has a lot of dough and if the Nuggies start the year 40-10 he might sign off on using the exception at the deadline to try to win a title, but short of that I don't see it happening.

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/27811

 

[hasoos]

I give mad props to anybody who just puts the word "Woody" out there a little bit more!

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Why would Utah be interested in sending Boozer to a division rival?

I don't see that occuring. Besides, I think Boozer is a lot more of the same for the nuggets.

The article raises that point too. I figure Utah is looking to dump salary in a big way (after having to match for Milsap and the structure of the contract). That dumping of salary will probably come in the way of Boozer.

Denver is a team that can take on Boozer and help Utah shed 9 mil dollars of the cap. Are there other teams that can do that? ( I don't know, I didn't even know about Denver's 9 mil till tonight)

If it is as economically bad for NBA teams as owners are making it out to be . . . Utah may do anything to get rid of a big portion of Boozer's contract.