The Denver Post (Benjamin Hochman) reports on Carmelo Anthony: As for his “we quit” comment after a playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers: “I didn’t think there was anything wrong with me saying that. I didn’t call anybody out. I said we all quit. Myself quit also. As a team, as an organization, we quit. (Being politically correct), that’s not always right, either.” …  Melo on the Boston Celtics’ NBA championship: “They had to come together and get theirs as a group. I don’t think I can win one by myself. There’s no way I can win one by myself. They came together as a group. I’ve only got five years in the NBA and I’m only 24 years old. Hopefully, I have at least 11 more years. People act like I’m 30, and I just turned 24.” …  Melo on his offensive success for Team USA: “It ain’t easy! It looks easy. But when I’m on the court with Jason Kidd, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, somebody’s got to be open.”

The Denver Nuggets have made a qualifying offer to restricted free agent J.R. Smith, Nuggets Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today. Per team policy, terms of the offer were not released.
In accordance with the league’s collective bargaining agreement, in order for a team to retain its right of first refusal with respect to a restricted free agent, the team must tender the player a qualifying offer prior to June 30. A restricted free agent may sign an offer sheet with any team, but is subject to a right of first refusal with the team for which the player last played.
Smith, 6-6, 220, has averaged 12.6 ppg while shooting .396 (306-772) from three-point range in his two seasons with the Nuggets since being acquired in a trade with Chicago on July 20, 2006. This past season, he averaged 12.3 ppg in 19.2 minutes in 74 regular season contests and 18.3 ppg in 27.0 minutes in four playoff games.

The Denver Nuggets have traded their first round draft pick (the 20th overall) in the 2008 NBA Draft to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for a future protected first round draft pick, Nuggets Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today.
The Nuggets now currently have no picks in tomorrow’s draft.
The Bobcats now own the ninth and 20th picks in the first round, along with the 38th overall pick in the second round. ESPN’s live coverage of the 2008 NBA Draft begins at 7:00 p.m. ET tomorrow.

The Denver Nuggets have suspended forward Carmelo Anthony for the first two games of the 2008-09 regular season, Nuggets Vice President of Basketball Operations Mark Warkentien announced today. Anthony was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol on April 14 and is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow.
“We take drinking and driving very seriously,” said Warkentien. “Carmelo admits he made a serious lapse in judgment and has expressed his sincere remorse numerous times since to the Nuggets organization, his fans and the Denver community. We will continue to support Carmelo as he strives to live up to the high expectations set by Carmelo himself and the Nuggets organization on and off the court. We will respect the legal process moving forward and continue to handle the matter internally without further comment.”

The Rocky Mountain News (Chris Tomasson) reports: With Friday the deadline for Iverson to opt out of the final year of his contract, the star guard decided not to do so and will return to the Nuggets next season for $20.84 million. The move first was reported by the Rocky Mountain News after Iverson’s agent, Leon Rose, confirmed his client’s intentions in a phone interview. “Things have gone well for him (in Denver),” Rose said of Iverson, traded from Philadelphia in December 2006. “He’s looking forward to taking the team (further).” Iverson’s decision wasn’t a surprise. But his personal manager, Gary Moore, had told the Rocky on May 30 that Iverson’s camp had discussions with the Nuggets about Iverson possibly opting out and signing a multiyear deal.