George O'Brien
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Rocky Mountain News
Trying to keep Okur
There's another team desperately seeking more cap room for this summer, and the Nuggets are watching the situation closely. That would be Detroit, which doesn't want to be involved in a repeat of what happened to Golden State last summer.
The Pistons want to hold on to center Mehmet Okur, who will be a restricted free agent after his second season. But unless they make a deal, the Pistons are in line to have only about $4 million of cap room. So if any team offered Okur more than the midlevel exception for next season (about $5 million), Detroit couldn't match the offer.
That's what happened to the Warriors last summer. All they could do was wave goodbye to Gilbert Arenas after Washington gave him a six-year, $64 million offer sheet.
The Nuggets, who will be in the market for a big man, will keep a close eye on Detroit's situation. They'd certainly consider offering Okur, averaging 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds, a deal starting at about $7 million if they knew the Pistons couldn't match.
Meanwhile, Detroit will attempt to make a trade by Thursday's deadline or try to entice Charlotte to take a certain player off its hands in the expansion draft. Candidates to be dispatched include guard Chucky Atkins (making $4.2 million next season), forward Corliss Williamson ($5.5 million) and center Elden Campbell ($4 million).
Trying to keep Okur
There's another team desperately seeking more cap room for this summer, and the Nuggets are watching the situation closely. That would be Detroit, which doesn't want to be involved in a repeat of what happened to Golden State last summer.
The Pistons want to hold on to center Mehmet Okur, who will be a restricted free agent after his second season. But unless they make a deal, the Pistons are in line to have only about $4 million of cap room. So if any team offered Okur more than the midlevel exception for next season (about $5 million), Detroit couldn't match the offer.
That's what happened to the Warriors last summer. All they could do was wave goodbye to Gilbert Arenas after Washington gave him a six-year, $64 million offer sheet.
The Nuggets, who will be in the market for a big man, will keep a close eye on Detroit's situation. They'd certainly consider offering Okur, averaging 10.1 points and 6.6 rebounds, a deal starting at about $7 million if they knew the Pistons couldn't match.
Meanwhile, Detroit will attempt to make a trade by Thursday's deadline or try to entice Charlotte to take a certain player off its hands in the expansion draft. Candidates to be dispatched include guard Chucky Atkins (making $4.2 million next season), forward Corliss Williamson ($5.5 million) and center Elden Campbell ($4 million).
