Scouts Inc. Blueprint: Denver Nuggets - 丹佛金塊 Denver Nuggets

原文出處：http://0rz.tw/d32BL 有翻譯錯誤和不好的地方請多多指教 :)

ESPN 的各隊季末總整理系列，有點長...

Scouts Inc. Blueprint: Denver Nuggets
By Jeff Weltman
Scouts Inc.

==============================================================================
2006-07 has been a season of flux for Denver, both on and off the court.

2006-07 對金塊來說是個充滿變數的賽季，不管是場內還是場外。

The Nuggets were involved in the biggest brawl of the year, executed the
biggest trade of the year, followed that up with another significant deal and
have only recently begun to settle into a real rhythm that would allow us to
gauge the effects of all this activity.

金塊陷入過本年度最大的毆鬥事件，進行了本年度最大宗的交易，接著又進行了另外一個
重要的交易，而在最近才算是開始進入真正的節奏，讓我們能對這些接二連三的事件過後
的效應做一次檢視。

At seven games above .500 and having bypassed the Lakers for the No. 6 seed in
the West, they are playing their best basketball of the season. They might be
playing as well as anyone in the league right now.

超過五成勝率八場 (45W 37L)，並超越湖人站上西區第六種子，金塊正打出他們本賽季最
佳的籃球表現。他們現在的狀態能與聯盟中任何球隊一樣好。

After March 9, Denver put together a five-game winning streak and an eight-game
winning streak. The Nuggets will open against San Antonio in the first round of
the playoffs.

3月9日後，金塊接連打出5連勝和8連勝的成績，將在季後賽第一輪硬碰馬刺。

==============================================================================
DECISION MAKERS 金塊決策者

OWNER: STAN KROENKE

FACT SHEET SCORECARD
Bought Nuggets for $202 million in 2000 Seasons: 7
Current franchise value: $309 million Playoffs: 4
Owner's net worth: $1.8 billion (as of 2005) Division titles: 1
West titles: 0
NBA titles: 0
Sources: Forbes.com, USAToday.com

GM By John Hollinger

MARK WARKENTIEN - Vice President of Basketball Operations

SCORECARD
Seasons: 1
Playoffs: 1
Division Titles: 0
Conference Titles: 0
NBA Titles: 0

BEST MOVE: Trading for J.R. Smith
The Nuggets acquired Smith from Chicago in the offseason in a move that
essentially cost them nothing (just two second-rounders and reserve guard
Howard Eisley). All he's done is establish himself as one of the game's best
young shooting guards, averaging 13.0 points a game and shooting 38.9 percent
on 3-pointers as a 21-year-old.

And he's still on a rookie contract for another year.

最佳運作： J.R. Smith 的交易案
金塊在季前把 J.R. Smith 從芝加哥帶來丹佛，這個交易基本沒有對他們造成任何損失
(只用了兩個第二輪選秀權和一個替補後衛 Howard Eisley)。J.R. 所能做的就是把自己
搖身一變成為比賽中最好的年輕得分後衛，以 21 歲的年齡繳出每場平均 13 分和 38.9%
三分球命中率的成績單。
而且，他還有一年的新秀合約。

WORST MOVE: Trading Ruben Patterson for Joe Smith
It's not like Smith was worthless for Denver -- he was part of the package that
brought in Allen Iverson -- but his performance pales in comparison to the
impact Patterson has had in Milwaukee this season.

While Patterson wouldn't have played as much as a Nugget, he really would have
helped Denver during Carmelo Anthony's suspension.

最差運作： 用 Ruben Patterson 交易來 Joe Smith
這並不是說 Smith 對金塊一點價值也沒有 -- 至少他成為引進 AI 的其中一部分 -- 但
若是比較一下他和 Patterson 本季在公鹿的表現，那只能用蒼白無色來形容。

雖然 Patterson 作為金塊的一員也未必會有多少貢獻，但他也許在 Melo 的禁賽期間可以
為金塊帶來一些幫助。

==============================================================================
ROSTER/SALARIES 明年的球員名單和薪資

NUGGETS TEAM ROSTER 金塊隊球員名單

Allen Iverson DerMarr Johnson Anthony Carter
Pos: G | Age: 31 Pos: GF | Age: 26 Pos: PG | Age: 31
Left: 2 yrs., $39.85M Free Agent N/A

Steve Blake J.R. Smith Von Wafer
Pos: PG | Age: 27 Pos: SG | Age: 21 Pos: G | Age: 21
Free Agent Left: 1 yr., $2.13M N/A

Carmelo Anthony Linas Kleiza Yakhouba Diawara
Pos: SF | Age: 22 Pos: GF | Age: 22 Pos: GF | Age: 24
Left: 5 yrs., $75.35M Left: 2 yrs., $2.83M Left: 1 yr., $687K

Marcus Camby Reggie Evans Jamal Sampson
Pos: PG | Age: 33 Pos: PF | Age: 26 Pos: FC | Age: 23
Left: 3 yrs., $29.65M Left: 4 yrs., $19M Free Agent

Nene Eduardo Najera Kenyon Martin
Pos: FC | Age: 24 Pos: F | Age: 30 Pos: PF | Age: 29
Left: 5 yrs., $52M Left: 1 yr., $4.95M Left: 4 yrs., $60.09M

==============================================================================
TEAM STATUS REPORT - 球隊現狀報告

In the past few years, the Nuggets have reshaped the roster around budding star
Carmelo Anthony.

在過去幾年，金塊隊總是圍繞著發芽中的球星 - Carmelo Anthony 來進行球隊的重建。

While unable to graduate from the first round of the playoffs the past three
years, the Nuggets had stockpiled an abundance of assets and were hoping the
emergence of Anthony into star status along with the return of Nene -- who was
lost for almost the entire 2005-06 season to an ACL injury -- would serve as
the foundation for their next step forward.

雖然在過去三年中，金塊都無法順利地從季後賽第一輪中出線，但他們已漸漸囤積了一批
有實力的球員，並期待 Melo 成為聯盟球星和 Nene 的回歸能為金塊的下一步打下穩定的
基礎棟樑。

Adding to that, in July they bolstered the roster and addressed their shooting
woes by acquiring J.R. Smith from Chicago for a pair of 2007 second-round picks.

再加上去年七月他們以兩個第二輪選秀權從芝加哥把 JR Smith 交易過來，加深了球員名
單，並解決了缺少射手的問題。

Denver was 13-9 when Anthony was suspended 15 games (along with Smith's 10
games) for his part in a fight vs. the Knicks on December 16. Just three days
later Denver executed what was to be the league's biggest deal of the year: It
acquired Allen Iverson in exchange for Andre Miller, Joe Smith and two 2007
first-round picks.

金塊在 Melo 和 JR 因與尼克鬥毆事件而遭到禁賽前的戰績是 13-9，三天後他們做出了
堪稱本季最大宗的交易：以 Andre Miller 和 Joe Smith 外加兩個第一輪選秀權把 Allen
Iverson 從 76 人交易過來。

The Nuggets then mitigated the financial impact of the Iverson trade by trading
Earl Boykins, along with Julius Hodge, to Milwaukee for Steve Blake. By
Milwaukee's accepting Boykins into a trade exception, Denver was able to reduce
its payroll. Blake, while not the scoring threat of Boykins, gave the Nuggets a
pass-first point guard alongside its two elite scorers at the wings.

接著金塊為了緩和 Iverson 交易案所帶來的薪資過高問題，送出 Boykins 和 Hodge，從
公鹿換來 Steve Blake。因為公鹿使用了交易特例來得到 Boykins，所以金塊能夠從中減
少了部份薪資。Blake 雖然沒有 Boykins 的得分能力，但卻補上了金塊最需要的傳球第一
的控球後衛的位置，為隊上兩名出色的得分高手帶來幫助。

Denver is somewhat a moving target in this type of study because we've only
recently begun to see a "settled" version of this team -- the Nuggets are 15-6
in their last 21 games after a 13-21 stretch.

金塊在我們這類的研究中顯得不太穩定，因為我們最近才終於能看到他們整合後的表現。
他們經歷了一段 13-21 的挫折後，最近 21 場比賽中取得了 15勝 6負的佳績。

==============================================================================
THE FUTURE - 球隊未來

Its finances, though, are stationary and will figure prominently in their
future. Denver is currently about $500,000 below the luxury tax threshold, but
with bonuses built into some of its player contracts, there is a strong
likelihood of the club exceeding the luxury tax limit this year.

金塊的薪資問題將會注定在他們的未來中突顯出來。目前金塊大約在豪華稅門欄50萬以下，
然而隨著下個賽季一些球員的合約上漲，明年的薪資總額非常有可能超過豪華稅的底限。

There are several contributing factors which will make this summer's numbers
more precarious: (1) the re-signing Reggie Evans and Nene to significant
contracts last summer, (2) turning Joe Smith's expiring contract into a
significant portion of Iverson's future salary, (3) the beginning of Anthony's
maximum extension and (4) less than $3 million in expiring contracts.

有些因素將左右明年的薪資數目：
1) Reggie Evans 和 Nene 都在上個夏天以高價續約了
2) Joe Smith 的到期合約變成 Iverson 未來的高額薪資
3) Melo 開始領取頂級合約
4) 只有不到 3百萬的到期合約

Due to the convergence of these forces, the Nuggets' cap number this summer
presently resides above $75 million without factoring in the re-signing of
Steve Blake or the application of cap holds.

綜合以上的因素，金塊這個下夏天的薪資總額將高出 7千5百萬，這還不包括重簽 Steve
Blake 或是薪資冒的應用。

Another significant challenge presents itself in 2008: With little change to
the payroll (Eduardo Najera's contract expires, assuming he does not exercise
his early termination option following this season, but the escalation of
existing contracts largely offsets that reduction), the Nuggets will have to
contend with the free agency of J.R. Smith.

2008 年又是另外一次重大的考驗: 隨著薪資沒有得到太大的改善，金塊將面對 JR Smith
成為自由球員所帶來的續約問題。(Najera 的合約那時候將到期，這裡假設 Najera 沒有
在今年夏天提前選擇跳出合約，那麼他的薪資將會佔掉大部分金塊想要減少的，因此得不
到太大的改善)

While one would imagine Blake is someone they would like to re-sign, the
Nuggets might be exploring ways to shed salary before adding any. If recently
acquired Von Wafer or Anthony Carter performs well over the summer for the
Nuggets, he could prove a low-cost alternative to this summer's free-agent
market.

當大家都認為 Blake 是金塊必定要重新簽下的球員時，金塊很可能需要在增加任何薪資
前找尋到其他的方法來減少薪資。如果最近新加入的 Von Wafer 或 Anthony Carter 在
這個夏天表現得不錯，那麼他們可能在這個夏天的自由球員市場成為一個較便宜的選擇。

Without spending flexibility or draft picks this summer, Denver's improvement
will have to come largely from within. This prospect is not all bad when you
take into account the following: J.R. Smith is only 21 years old and already
has shown extended looks at his enormous potential; second-year forward Linus
Kleiza has improved considerably this year and worked himself into the
rotation; Anthony was heading for superstardom this season before the brawl
disrupted his momentum, and he is recently back on track; Iverson is still new
to the team and might not have yet settled into its chemistry and Kenyon
Martin's recovery process is on schedule and he is due to return next season.

由於這個夏天缺少了能夠靈活運用的資金和選秀權，金塊的進步只能大部分取決於自己。
不過他們的前景並不是那麼不樂觀的：JR 才 21 歲就已經表現出絕佳的潛力；二年級生
Linas Kleiza 持續進步，並順利進入輪替陣容之中；Melo 在毆鬥事件之前更在本季顯示
出超級巨星的能力，而他現在也正式回到軌道中；Iverson 對金塊來說還很新鮮，也許還
沒正式為球隊帶來化學效應；Martin 的復健過程都在計畫中，下個賽季就能重返賽場。

While spending flexibility and draft picks are always the tools of choice with
which to build and grow a team, the Nuggets appear to have several internal
means to improve.

透過靈活的交易和選秀權一直是建立和培養一隻球隊的方法，而金塊本身卻仍然有一些能
夠進步的方式。

Kenyon Martin, whose season was in essence over before it began this year due
to microfracture surgery on his knee, largely has been the forgotten element
amidst all the change in Denver. Martin, one of the league's premier role
players, was cast into a leading role due to his seven-year, $92 million
contract and the fact that Anthony had yet to emerge as a legitimate star.

Kenyon Martin 本季因為膝蓋的手術而使他的賽季實際上還沒開始就結束了，所以在金塊
本季眾多變化中被大部分人所遺忘。實際上 Martin 仍然是聯盟中頂級的角色球員，由於
他那 7年 9千2百萬的肥約，所以應該要把他當作球隊的領導角色之一來看待。事實上Melo
也正在成長成一個合格的球星。

But with the emergence of Anthony and the addition of Iverson, Martin is no
longer the most highly-paid, high-profile player on the team. Rather, he slots
in where he should on an elite team. When at his best, Martin played alongside
Jason Kidd, Kerry Kittles and Richard Jefferson in a high-profile but
nonetheless supporting role -- he guarded the best frontline player, provided
offensive rebounding, created fast-break lanes and added the occasional
"SportsCenter"-worthy athletic play in crunch time.

但隨著 Melo 的日漸成長和 AI 的加入，Martin 再也不是球隊中最高薪最重要的球員了。
寧願他成為這隻出色球隊中能隨時融入任何需要他位置的角色。當他最佳狀態的時候，
Martin 是在 Jason Kidd,Kerry Kittles 和 Richard Jefferson 身邊扮演重要地位的角
色球員，他需要防守對方最好的內線球員，拼搶進攻籃板，製造快攻機會和偶爾登上
"SportsCenter"，在關鍵時刻做出有價值的貢獻。

The Nuggets' roster, three years removed from sign-and-trading for Martin, now
allows him to step back into that role -- in fact, it begs for an athletic,
defensive-oriented player like him.

馬丁通過先簽後換而來到金塊已經三年，金塊現在的陣容正允許他投入這樣的角色，實際
上金塊正需要他這種充滿運動能力和防守熱情的球員。

George Karl, but as Denver settles into a long-range chemistry over the summer,
the success of Martin could be significant in determining the success of the
Nuggets.

Karl 和 Martin 的關係經過夏天長時期的化學效應後，Martin 的成功將成為金塊成功中
的重要依據。

The Iverson trade raised the stakes in Denver. With a payroll that will be
difficult to suppress over the coming seasons, the Nuggets quickly have
transitioned from a cap-room and draft-pick club to a club committed deeply to
a win-now strategy.

Iverson 的交易案提升了金塊的目標。由於薪資問題在接下來的賽季很難得到解決，金塊
迅速的從一個擁有足夠薪資空間和選秀權的球隊變身成為一個以迫切需要達到成功為戰略
的球隊。

While the initial results did not equal the payroll implications, it is very
early in the process to truly evaluate this team, and the Nuggets are peaking
at the right time. Denver clearly is equipped with the star power to be
dangerous in the playoffs if their chemistry coalesces.

然而薪資問題的影響現階段並不等於成績，現在能真正影響到球隊運作的情況還算太早，
且金塊在正確的時刻達到了巔峰。金塊很顯然是一個充滿了明星效益的球隊，若是他們的
化學效應能整合成功，他們在季後賽將是一個危險的球隊。

With 31-year-old Allen Iverson's contract set to expire following the 2008-09
season, and 33-year-old Marcus Camby's the following season, Denver's timeline
is clearly defined. As things presently stand, they have this season and two
more to maximize their talent and pursue a championship.

31 歲的 AI 的合約將在 2008-09年到期，33 歲的 Camby 的合約也將在隔年到期，金塊
的時間表已經確定了。現階段來看，他們可以在本賽季和接下來的兩年內儘可能的發揮最
大的天份，並全力追求最終的總冠軍。

Scouts Inc. NBA analyst Jeff Weltman was assistant general manager of the
Denver Nuggets from 2001 to 2006. From 1988 to 2001, he served the Los Angeles
Clippers in various personnel, scouting and administrative roles.

--