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Tickets at Ticket Master
Center Michael Doleac joined the Denver Nuggets on Friday armed with plenty to discuss with his new teammates. Doleac can talk with Andre Miller and Jeff Trepagnier about basketball and with Mark Pope about organic chemistry.
Doleac, claimed on waivers from Atlanta, had Miller as a teammate in college
at Utah from 1995-98 and was with Miller and Trepagnier in Cleveland in 2001-02.
He was Pope's teammate last season in New York.
"He was taking organic chemistry and I had just taken it, so we talked about that," said Doleac, who, like Pope, plans to attend medical school. "I guess on the team plane we'll probably get out the anatomy books."
Doleac, 26, has talked about dissecting cadavers and how he plans to give his
body to science when he dies. For now, the Nuggets, who made room on the roster
by placing center Francisco Elson on the injured list because of a groin strain,
are simply looking for Doleac to give his body to their quest to make the playoffs.
"He, at times, can give us valuable minutes," Nuggets coach Jeff Bzdelik
said.
The Nuggets were looking all season for another big man. The 6-foot-11, 262-pound
Doleac can bang inside and step outside and hit an 18-foot jumper. Not the quickest
player, the sixth-year man admits he "must adapt" to Denver's running
game.
Doleac, who averaged 5.0 points and 4.1 rebounds with the Knicks this season
and has career averages of 5.7 points and 3.6 rebounds, was traded Sunday from
New York to Atlanta. It was prearranged he would be waived by the Hawks, which
was done Wednesday.
The Knicks, who couldn't claim Doleac because they are over the salary cap,
were hoping Doleac would clear waivers and they could re-sign him. But the Nuggets
foiled that.
"I was thinking I was going to end up in New York, Denver or Utah (a team
interested until losing cap room with a Thursday deal)," said Doleac, who
arrived at halftime during Friday's game against Orlando and did not suit up.
"Utah is where I want to live eventually, and Denver was the best basketball
option outside of New York. My first choice was to finish the season in New
York, but I'm happy going to Denver. When I become a free agent (this summer),
I was looking at Denver as the best choice for basketball and Utah as a choice
of where I want to live."
Doleac is making $1.54 million in the second year of a two-year, $3 million
deal. The Nuggets are responsible for about a third of his season salary, slightly
more than $500,000.
"He'll be a great addition," said general manager Kiki Vande- weghe,
who, like Doleac, said the center could remain with Denver next season. "He's
a quality player who has been a starter."
BIG BUCKS FOR CAMBY?: Rick Kaplan, agent for Nuggets center Marcus Camby, said
he plans to seek a six-year contract should his client become a free agent this
summer. Indications are Kaplan would want about $60 million.
Camby can opt out of his contract at the end of the season. If Camby doesn't,
he would be in line to make a nonguaranteed $7.75 million next season.
Camby won't reach incentives this season guaranteeing his deal. Kaplan said
Camby likely will opt out even though Kaplan said "he's not going to be
waived" if he doesn't.
Kaplan won't ask for a seven-year deal for Camby, 30 next month, because salary-cap
rules affect players past 36. He said he plans to look for a deal similar to
what Sacramento's Brad Miller, who signed a seven-year, $67.4 million contract
last year, will make in his final six years. That's $60.4 million.
"I heard something around that ballpark," Camby said of the possible
demand. "That's why I pay (Kaplan) to handle that stuff."
Vandeweghe declined to offer specifics but said the sides have discussed money
in general terms. He emphasized the Nuggets want to retain Camby, who says he
wants to stay in Denver.
The sides have discussed the possibility of Camby signing an extension by the
March 1 deadline. However, Kaplan said it "makes more sense" to wait
until the off-season, when teams such as Phoenix, Atlanta, Utah and the Clippers
will have the cap room to compete for Camby.
ELSON IN TEAM'S FUTURE: Vandeweghe said the decision to shelve Elson is not
an indication the Nuggets aren't looking to bring him back next season.
"We plan to keep him," Vande- weghe said. "His contract is very
favorable, and he's great to have around."
Elson, 27, is a rookie in the first year of a three-year contract. The Nuggets,
though, can buy their way out for $50,000 if he's waived by July 21. If not,
next season's salary of $620,046 is guaranteed.
Elson's recent struggles were a factor in his being shelved. In his past three
games, he shot 2-for-11.
"I'm all for the team," Elson said. "Somebody had to make space
(with the arrival of Doleac)."
Vandeweghe said he stressed to Elson that Friday's move "doesn't mean he's
going to be on the injured list the rest of the year."