Nuggets' Martin suspended indefinitely

[dirno2000]

Wonder if anyone will take that contract...

-----------------------------

DENVER -- Kenyon Martin was unhappy about his limited playing time in Denver's playoff series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Now, he won't be suiting up for the Nuggets at all.

The Nuggets suspended their forward indefinitely Tuesday night for what they called detrimental conduct.

"This is an internal matter that we will deal with in-house," coach George Karl said in a statement.

Sources told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that Martin went into a profanity-laced tirade against Karl during halftime of Game 2 on Monday night.

Martin, who has been bothered by knee tendinitis all season, was dejected over his limited playing time. He played sparingly in the first half and sat out the second half of Denver's 98-87 loss to the Clippers.

Martin didn't get to the Nuggets' bench until several minutes into the third quarter and then sat with a towel over his head. He left the arena without comment, but teammate Ruben Patterson suggested Martin felt he could have played and was frustrated that he had been held out.

Hours before suspending him, Karl seemed miffed that Martin was upset over his benching.

"I will talk to him and see what's happening," Karl said Tuesday afternoon. "He told me and the staff at halftime that he couldn't go. Now, there's stuff filtering out that there's frustration there. We'll see."

Martin apparently banged his bothersome left knee in the first half while going against Elton Brand.

"He's got a heck of a matchup," Karl said. "The guy is a very physical player. I don't think people understand how big that man is. He's 260, maybe 270 pounds. I'm sure he not only hit Martin's knee, but probably hit a lot of other parts of the body."

Besides, "it's been a year of frustration for everybody," said Karl, who watched forward Nene go down for the season with a knee injury in the opener, then had to juggle his lineup all season with injuries to Martin and center Marcus Camby.

"We've always worked through it. We've always picked ourselves up," Karl said. "I trust this team is going to do the same thing on Thursday."

Before deciding to suspend Martin, Karl was asked why he wasn't giving him more minutes.

"Well, it is hard for me to visualize him actually playing 20 minutes of basketball again because he doesn't participate in practice very often. He just wants to play in the games," Karl said. "That philosophically doesn't make any sense to me. I think he has a big-time heart. I think he is a big-time competitor and he did a heck of a job in the second half against Brand for Game 1.

"Right now I evaluate all my players. I think Carmelo [Anthony] is going to go a lot of minutes, Andre [Miller] is going to get a lot of minutes, Marcus is going to get a lot of minutes. After that, I have no idea who is going to get the minutes. It's the guy who earns the minutes and who plays the way we want him to play."

Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Thursday night at the Pepsi Center.

The Nuggets are accustomed to playing without Martin, who has been bothered all season by his surgically repaired left knee and began regularly sitting out games over the last month in hopes he'd be better for the playoffs, where he has traditionally stepped up his game.

He had six points and two boards in the Nuggets' 111-109 loss in Game 1, and was scoreless with one rebound in just under seven minutes in Denver's loss in Game 2.

The Clippers arrived in Denver on Tuesday to acclimate themselves to the mile-high altitude.

"I guess it's true," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said of the effect of the thin air on visiting teams. "But [as a player] I never felt it. I was in great shape. I never thought about it."

He's not taking any chances, however, as the Clippers seek their first playoff series win since moving to California in 1978.

The Clippers will practice in Denver on Wednesday to get used to the elevation.

"It's different," point guard Sam Cassell said. "But if you're going to use that as an excuse, you shouldn't play. Is it that big of a difference? We'll see."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

[MavsFanFinley]

He's an idiot. I remember reading comments after game 2 by Ruben Patterson about it being more than KMart's knee bothering him.

You don't quit on your team like that.

[bernardos70]

Kmart is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

[EricaLubarsky]

k-mart is easily one of the biggest tools, period.

[HexNBA]

Good luck trading him

[dude1394]

Denver imploding... Not that surprising with kmart, patterson on the team. I don't recall what Karl's record is like but I don't recall it being that smooth of a ride either.

It will be pretty embarressing being the first 3 seed in history (may be true) to get swept by a sixth in the first round.

[spreedom]

I bet the Knicks take that contract..

[Drbio]

Sucks when Ruben Patterson sounds like a voice of reason (at least comparatively).

[sixeightmkw]

who was that on this forum saying we needed to trade for KMart? dumbass.

[TripleDipping]

Bad crap for Denver. Good crap for Clippers. I don't give a crap either way.

[MavKikiNYC]

Originally Posted by dude1394

Denver imploding... Not that surprising with kmart, patterson on the team. I don't recall what Karl's record is like but I don't recall it being that smooth of a ride either.

It will be pretty embarressing being the first 3 seed in history (may be true) to get swept by a sixth in the first round.

Thank you, I believe this was predicted :

http://www.dallas-mavs.com/vb/showth...t=nuggets+karl z


And KVH sure could enjoy rubbing this in Blue Light Special's face if he weren't on the injured list himself.

[mary]

It will be pretty embarressing being the first 3 seed in history (may be true) to get swept by a sixth in the first round.

I hope they do get swept. It'll just reiterate what a tardo Stern is.

[sike]

Originally Posted by bernardos70

Kmart is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

well....now he's not in the shed at all....

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

Kmart is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

k-mart is easily one of the biggest tools, period.

Well... which tool would he be? I'd say he's a hoe.

[kriD]

Finding trade for Martin won't be easy

By Marc J. Spears
Denver Post NBA beat reporter

It's one thing for Kenyon Martin's detractors to want him out of Denver. It's another for the Nuggets to make it happen.

The 2004 all-star has played in two NBA Finals and was once one of the league's most athletic players. Now Martin has a bum left knee and five years and $71.9 million left on his contract. And he has been suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.

It's a triple whammy - the suspension, the huge contract and the injuries - should the Nuggets look to trade him in the offseason. Finding a good deal for K-Mart could be much tougher than it was for Indiana to move Ron Artest this season.

But three high-level NBA executives said Wednesday it was definitely possible. They agreed his knee is a big issue, as well as the money left on his contract. They were less concerned about the recent incident that led to his suspension.

"People are going to be nervous about his knee, contract and attitude," one Western Conference executive said. "People are very nervous about contracts that size. It's not impossible, but very difficult."

Martin sulked after seeing his name involved in rumors before the trade deadline in February. The 6-foot-9, 230-pounder, who will make $12 million next season, has often said he expects his name to be back among trade rumors once the season ends.

Nuggets teammate Carmelo Anthony wouldn't speculate on whether Martin would be back next season.

"I don't know how that's going to hold up, that's all I can say," Anthony said. "I wish him the best. I hope they work it out."

So who might possibly be interested in Martin?

Portland could be willing to make a trade for forward Zach Randolph, a tough post player who averaged 18 points and eight rebounds this past season. Randolph is expected to be expendable after numerous run-ins with coach Nate McMillan. And his salary ($12 million next season) matches.

Nuggets assistant general manager Mark Warkentien drafted Randolph for Portland with the 19th overall pick in 2001 and the two are still close. Randolph's sucker punch in practice of Ruben Patterson, who is now with Denver, is a thing of the past.

"Why not for Zach Randolph?" one Eastern Conference executive said. "They owe him the same amount of money."

Another possibility would be the New York Knicks. Knicks president Isiah Thomas nearly dealt center Antonio Davis in January for Martin. The Knicks are loaded with bad contracts. Potential players tossed Denver's way could be guard Stephon Marbury ($17.1 million), guard Quentin Richardson ($7.5 million), forward Malik Rose ($7.5 million) or forward Maurice Taylor ($9.75 million). Don't expect guard Steve Francis ($15 million) to come to Denver. He and Anthony don't see eye to eye.

"Isiah Thomas might try to throw in Malik Rose or Maurice Taylor," the Eastern Conference executive said.

Another trading partner could be Golden State, which might shop forward Troy Murphy, due $8.2 million next season. He averaged 14 points and 10 rebounds this past season. Agent Dan Fegan, who has five Nuggets clients, also represents Murphy.

New Jersey also could be interested in getting Martin back. Nets coach Lawrence Frank and president Rod Thorn are fond of Martin, and the team needs a power forward.

"I'll take my headache for yours," the Western Conference executive said. "It will probably be like that."

Coach George Karl said Wednesday he was open to working things out with Martin. But expect the Nuggets to explore moving him this offseason.

[MavKikiNYC]

Straight up for Starbury.

[Stranger]

Has George Karl ever coached a team that hasn't eventually imploded?

[MavKikiNYC]

KNICKS EYE K-MART By MARC BERMAN
April 28, 2006 -- The Knicks will again bid for Kenyon Martin now that he assuredly will be traded by the Nuggets this summer, but Larry Brown has also asked Isiah Thomas to target another potential injury risk: Miami's free-agent center Alonzo Mourning. Brown is desperate for Thomas to obtain an inside banger, a rugged rebounder and shot-blocker. Brown does not appear to believe that Eddy Curry or Channing Frye will become stout defenders.

Martin is as available as ever - though the Knicks are one of few potential suitors, as they were at February's trading deadline - because of Martin's long-term contract ($54 million over four remaining years) and knee problems. He missed 26 games because of tendinitis in his surgically repaired knee. He's now at war with coach George Karl, who suspended the power forward for two playoff games.

Mourning, whom Brown loves, plays it year by year. Despite his kidney illness, Mourning had a ferocious defensive season, averaging 7.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.66 blocks. Playing against the Knicks in November, he notched nine rejections. He returned from a partially torn calf muscle, playing in Game 3 of the Heat's series against the Bulls last night in Chicago. As a potential draw, some of Mourning's kidney doctors are based in New York.

Mourning made just $1.7 million this season and the Knicks could easily outbid the thrifty Heat by using all or part of their $5 million mid-level exception. Owner James Dolan's generosity gives the Knicks the advantage of extending long-term deals to risky players.

The Nuggets will likely look to dump Martin for an expiring contract; the Knicks have two of those, in Maurice Taylor and Jalen Rose. Last February the Nuggets were interested in Penny Hardaway's expiring deal but also wanted Frye in a larger package. The Knicks instead made the Steve Francis trade.
*
Thomas returned yesterday from a European scouting trip. In Paris, he saw 6-11 Ukranian center Oleksiy Pecherov, slated to be drafted from 15th to 25th. The Knicks have picks Nos. 20 and 29.

Herb Brown will be enshrined Sunday in the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in Commack, L.I., along with former Knick center Neil Walk. Larry Brown was inducted 10 years ago.

[rakesh.s]

kmart and zo reunited? I will laugh my ass off if that happened.

Remember, Kmart told Zo to quit whining about his kidney?

The Bulls are going to get ANOTHER high draft pick next year.

[MFFL]

Originally Posted by sixeightmkw

who was that on this forum saying we needed to trade for KMart? dumbass.

I'd still trade Kitten for K-Mart RIGHT NOW!

[sixeightmkw]

no thanks, I like the team chemistry and don't want to see it torn apart by a guy who didn't get enough playing time and said he would quit on his team if he didn't get the playing time he deserved. sorry.