KNICK NOTES
DENVER – The Nuggets have a point-guard glut and are expected to shop Earl Watson Dec. 29 when he’s eligible to be traded.
Larry Brown doesn’t feel he has a natural point guard on his roster. The Nuggets are looking for frontcourt help to replace Nene, out for the year, but they’ve had minimal discussions with the Knicks.
Brown may also feel Watson is not a natural playmaker. The Nuggets would have strong interest in Antonio Davis because of his expiring contract. The Nuggets are looking to bring in short-term contracts as they are close to approaching the luxury-tax threshold.
Maurice Taylor and Malik Rose are of lesser interest and Jerome James, who has a five-year deal and is still hurt, is inconceivable unless thrown into a multi-player trade.
Watson shares the position with Andre Miller and Earl Boykins but Denver plans to use Watson more at shooting guard.
“I’ve been hearing [New York] a lot,” Watson said. “It’s like talking about ending up with [another] girl when you have a girlfriend. I’d get smacked.”
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Nugget star Carmelo Anthony has seen this before – in Athens. With the U.S. Olympic team winning a bronze medal, the sideshow was Stephon Marbury failing to adapt to Brown’s system. Marbury played with no confidence during the Olympics or with a shooting touch.
Marbury again is unhappy at PG in Brown’s structured system.
“That was the same situation over there,” said Anthony, whom Brown used sparingly in Greece. “Stephon is a scorer. Larry knew that about him but he wanted him to be the point guard. Stephon likes to shoot and put the ball in the basket. That’s what he’s been doing since eighth grade.”
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Matt Barnes (foot) was sent to inactive list and will have MRI today. Maurice Taylor was activated . . . Jet coach Herm Edwards, in town for tomorrow’s Jets-Broncos, met with Brown before game . . . Nugget assistant coach Doug Moe had dinner with UNC classmate Brown Thursday night.
“I don’t let him talk basketball,” Moe said. “I don’t let him complain. He mentioned one thing: seems like I’m meeting with the press 24 hours a day. I see the press more than my wife.”