Back in Blue

The NBA is back, and Andre Miller is back in a blue Nuggets uniform. With the lockout shortening the season Miller began his second stint with the Nuggets last night. Denver traveled to Dallas and defeated the defending champs, 115-93. Miller came off the bench to play 27 quality minutes, in which he scored 18 points on 6-8 shooting (2-2 on 3 pointers) from the floor and 4-4 shooting from the line. Miller also led the team in assists with 5 and added 5 rebounds, 3 steals, and a blocked shot to his stat line. Not bad for an old hand - maybe he will add Sixth Man of the Year to his list of accomplishments! 

Andrew Bogut was productive in his first game back on the hardwood, shooting 7-14 FGs and 3-4 FTs for 17 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in a one point loss (96-95) at Charlotte.

Take it Outback

With the NBA lockout dragging on and threatening the 2011-12 season many players are beginning to look overseas for opportunities to play. It makes sense then that Andrew Bogut would return to his native Australia to play, but alas, his deal with the Sydney Kings has been scuttled by a lack of insurance. Bogut's agent David Bauman told ESPN.com that Bogut's remaining contract with the Bucks will prevent him from playing back home.

Free the Agents!

With the NFL lockout coming to a conclusion teams can sign undrafted free agents, including six players from the University of Utah. According to Lya Wodraska's blog (see link in my blog list), Matt Asiata, Sealver Siliga, Shaky Smithson, Justin Taplin-Ross, Zane Taylor, and Eddie Wide will all get tryouts with NFL teams. The off-season has been shortened and the rules for practices have changed, meaning these players will find limited opportunities to impress new coaches. The roster limit for training camp has been increased, however, so they won't run into mandatory releases quite as quickly.

Back Home

Miller was a Nugget from '03-'06

Andre Miller was part of a draft day trade that sent him back to Denver in exchange for Raymond Felton. According to an article in USA Today, Miller is pleased to be back in Denver, where he still has a home. He felt maligned by the team when he was traded to Philadelphia for Allen Iverson midway through the 2006-2007 season, but he has put that behind him. He is prepared to play behind Ty Lawson too, if that is what coach George Karl asks of him. This is not the same Nuggets team Miller played with from '03-'06; only Nene, Kenyon Martin, and Coach Karl remain from that unit. Miller's role with this team will be to provide veteran leadership to a new group of young players, including draft picks Kenneth Faried, Jordan Hamilton (also included in the trade), and Chu Chu Maduabum (acquired from the Lakers).

The question is when will Miller be able to work out with his new team, now that the NBA has entered into a lockout that could cost the league part or all of the 2011-12 season.

Charge it to my Players Club card

Eric Weddle is due to receive a new contract, but the lockout has him playing the waiting game instead. See Pete Prisco's article on CBSSports.com for complete details.

If the Chargers do eventually re-sign Weddle but not disgruntled wideout Vincent Jackson, might they trade for Weddle's fellow ProUte Steve Smith instead? Smith appears to want no part of the rebuilding effort in Carolina, and reportedly would like to be traded to the Chargers, Raiders, or Ravens. There seems to be some interest from the Chargers, but the players are stuck in a holding pattern.

Sights Set

The UFL made a bold move Monday, holding their draft while free agents are unable to sign with NFL teams due to the lockout. A few of the notable names that didn't get called over the weekend were called on Monday, but the UFL draft was not solely limited to players coming out of college. Case in point: the Virginia Destroyers used the 4th pick to select Martail Burnett, a defensive end out of Utah who played most recently on the practice squad for the San Francisco 49ers. Burnett and the other players drafted now face a quandary: remain in limbo, or sign with a UFL team and possibly miss an opportunity with an NFL team if and when the lockout is lifted?

Burnett was an undrafted free agent who signed on with the Minnesota Vikings before joining the 49ers. San Francisco used its first round pick on Missouri's Aldon Smith, a similar type of player. Both played defensive end in college but transition to rush linebacker in the NFL. Burnett could return to defensive end in the UFL and have more of an impact. The Virginia Destroyers will be coached by Marty Schottenheimer, so Burnett would still benefit from NFL level coaching. It is an expansion franchise, but it received the rights to the players of the now defunct Florida Tuskers, a competitive team that played in the first two UFL Championship games. Burnett's best move might be to jump ship.