--Nuggets coach George Karl could be looking this summer for two new assistant coaches. Karl already knows he will be looking for one, with Mike Dunlap having resigned to become Arizona's associate head coach. And Doug Moe, 69, is expected to leave when his contract expires June 30.
Moe, the winningest coach in Nuggets history, said he "most likely" won't be back for a fifth season on Karl's staff. "At my age, I need to spend more time with the grandkids," Moe said.
As for Dunlap, rumblings one day could start about whether he could succeed Lute Olson as Arizona's head coach. But Olson would like to head them off at the pass.
"We're getting way ahead of ourselves," Olson, 73, said about whether Dunlap, a Nuggets assistant the past two seasons, could be his successor. Nevertheless, Olson really likes Dunlap.
"I'm very impressed with him," Olson said. "He's a very knowledgeable coach. (Dunlap will) be involved with recruiting, the defensive end (and) working with big guys."
Dunlap had been in the mix for several college head positions, including declining recent interview requests from Oregon State, Loyola Marymount and Rice. So why would he take a non-head coaching position?
"It's one of the top 20 programs," said Dunlap, who coached Denver's Metro State to two NCAA Division II titles and professed fondness for the college game. "Their history speaks for itself. (It's) a chance to learn from (Olson)."
--The Nuggets want J.R. Smith back.
Smith wants to return.
Does that mean it will be an easy negotiation when the shooting guard becomes a restricted free agent July 1?
Not necessarily.
Smith doesn't have to sign any deal this summer that he doesn't like. Smith, who made $2.14 million in 2007-08, has the option of accepting a $3.04 million qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2009.
After a strong second half of the season and a fine playoff series, Smith's value in free agency is higher than anybody would have projected several months ago. So it's possible he could land an offer sheet starting at around the midlevel exception of about $5.5 million, which the Nuggets would have seven days to match.
Then again, a team might be reluctant to hand out such an offer, thinking the Nuggets quickly would match. And it might be tough for a team, with money tight in the NBA and with Smith still not having proved his worth long term, to offer more than the midlevel.
If the Nuggets offer a deal around the midlevel, that might be able to get it done unless Smith's representatives really want to play hardball. But if the Nuggets are thinking more in the $4-5 million range as a starting salary, that could make for a tough negotiation. There might not be any reason for Smith to lock himself into a long-term deal starting in that range as opposed to coming back for the $3.04 million qualifying offer and possibly cashing in as an unrestricted free agent in 2009.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "There's a lot of people who would like to join our staff, and we have staff members who would like more responsibility. But I would take my time to evaluate it. There's no urgency." -- Nuggets coach George Karl, on looking to replace departed assistant Mike Dunlap.
