GRADES

PLAYERS

Carmelo Anthony C+
Carmelo looks like he's going to be the next Glen Rice. Big time scorer, poor defense, no locker room value, temperamental. Proved this season that he's not a leader, but that he'll reliably score every night. Top 10 in turnovers. The DUI basically tells us that he may always act like a kid. Bummer.

Chucky Atkins N/A
Hurt. Way hurt. If he played for the Broncos, Shanny would have cut him. No time for average players who are always hurt.

Marcus Camby B-
Starting show his age a bit. Top of the key jumper was off this season. Had a terrible playoff run. Stayed healthy for third straight season, so that monkey is officially off his back. Next year is prolly his last year as a starter in Denver or elsewhere. Trade bait.

Anthony Carter B+
Overachiever. Great, economical addition and really bailed the team out with Atkins on ice. Sadly, size and lack of talent were exposed in the playoffs.

Yakhouba Diawara C
Such an offensive liability that the Nuggets couldn't use his defense. The fact that AI would not come off the floor and that Linas was a monster killed his hopes of playing.

Steven Hunter D
Hunter must be terrible. The Nuggets needed help inside with Nene out and Camby tiring, yet Porky Pig refused to install him. Trading Reggie Evans for Hunter and Bobby Jones was an awful deal. Hunter is exactly what Evans isn't. Injury prone too.

Allen Iverson B
The hardest working player on planet earth, but like Melo, it is evident that he's not much of a leader. (NOTE: Simply leading by example doesn't work in the NBA.) An incredible scorer, but limited to being a scorer. Great to watch, endlessly aggressive. Never too hurt to play. No one seems able to articulate how he's helped this team - which is odd and troubling.

Linas Kleiza A
Stan's draft pick was incredible this year. Ended the season as a starter. His upside kept the team from adding Ron Arrest. All around stud with a 43 point game. Proved himself.

Kenyon Martin A
Kenyon not only came back from an injury that I that I thought would end his career, but he often showed the fighting spirit that his teammates couldn't muster. Kenyon showed that he's a real pro. Thus, I will eat crow.

Eduardo Najera A
Not many players become a three point shooter in their eighth season. Eddie's work ethic and energy are so impressive. He gives the fan faith that hard work can make a difference. Mas.

Nene N/A
Nene gets kudos for making it back but there's no real basis on which he can be graded. We'll wait until next year... again.

J.R. Smith B
Terrible first half of the season, incredible second half. It is no secret that I'm not a fan of J.R.'s game (or work ethic), but I will give him credit for getting hot in March and April. The team really depended on him. The NBA's most inarticulate player probably secured his NBA career this spring.

No grades for: Mike Wilks, Von Wafer, Bobby Jones or Taurean Green

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MISC

E. Stanley Kroenke A
Stan paid up. But he got a terrible ROI. He did all that the fans could hope for by buying the best roster he could. He ponied up for a top five roster and his coaches an players failed him miserably. Karl and the players owe Stan a huge "thank you" for keeping his mouth shut and not blasting them (or firing them) for mediocrity. We'll see if Silent Stan surfaces this summer.

Porky Pig D-
The smug Pig was a total failure this season. If he did any coaching or had the respect of his players, it didn't show. If he installed offensive and defensive sets, they were invisible. It was as if the Nuggets didn't have a coach. The guy who finds himself in the class of Dean Smith and Larry Brown is going to have to re-invent himself if he wants to keep that dream alive.

Doug Moe N/A
I have no idea what Moe is doing. He lost his temper at the refs in a couple of games, but other than that he just stared at the floor and avoided the sun. Can't help but wonder if he's swallowing his words, deferring to Porky Pig or simply collecting a paycheck. Odd and kind of depressing.

Rocky B-
The guy who put as many fannnies in the seats as the players did in the 80's and 90's is starting to show his age. He's not as full of the hijinx that he once was (although the reading the newspaper on the toilet stunt was solid). None of this matters though because Rocky has a free pass for the balance of his career, kind of like Moe.

** There is no GM here because it is not clear if the Nuggets have one.

BONUS GRADE:

Kyle Speller F
This clown is the the worst in-game announcer in sports. Aside from the volume, his content is dripping with moronic cheese. Those of us in section 102 cringe and head for zee hills every time he opens his mouth. The pastor ought to limit his audience to the congregation because we're trying to watch the game.