DENVER (AP) - Jason Hart figures his second stint with Denver Nuggets coach George Karl will be better than the first.
Hart joined the Nuggets at practice Wednesday after clearing waivers from the Los Angeles Clippers and signing a contact with Denver for the remainder of the season to give point guards Chauncey Billups and Anthony Carter some rest down the stretch and in the playoffs.After starring at Syracuse, Hart entered the NBA in 2000 as a second-round draft pick of the Milwaukee Bucks, where Karl was coach. He played in just one game that year before being waived the next season and signed by San Antonio.
"When I was with George the first time I was a rookie. He doesn't like rookies," Hart said with a chuckle. "That was nine years ago. I'm not a rookie now, so any time you're not a rookie in George's eyes, you're a little bit better. I'm just happy to be a part of what he's got going here."
The 6-foot-3 Hart averaged 2.3 points and 1.5 assists in 28 games with the Los Angeles Clippers this season before being waived on Feb. 27.
Karl and Nuggets executive Mark Warkentien were thrilled that Hart became available.
"Mark and I both believe in third point guards for the playoffs," Karl said. "That's the one injury that if you get hit with sometimes you can sustain and win with the third point guard. And both A.C. and Chauncey are 30-year-old players."
Hart, who met with Karl after Wednesday's workout to go over what the team expected of him, said he was blessed to go from a lottery team one week to a playoff contender the next.
"Chauncey is taking this team to the next level," Hart said. "It's just good to be a part of something that's good."
In eight NBA seasons, Hart has averaged of 4.9 points and 2.3 assists in 325 games with Milwaukee, San Antonio, Charlotte, Sacramento, the Clippers and Utah.
