What To Do With DerMarr?

(Boulder-CO) The last remaining free agent that the Nuggets are tied to is DerMarr Johnson. Johnson is listed as a 6’9” guard/forward and has a stat line that reads 6.1 points, 0.9 assists, and 1.6 rebounds in about 16 minutes of playing time on any average night. As I have been reporting, the Nuggets are very thin at the guard position. So, the question is what do they do with DerMarr?

The Nuggets could obviously sign him. He doesn’t command very much money and I’m not his agent, but I would bet that he would like to stay in Denver. It has been reported over the last couple of seasons that he is good buddies with Carmelo. It is also fairly obvious that he is chummy with fellow Cincinnati alumni Kenyon Martin. These things are good for team chemistry, but I think the Nuggets need to be more concerned with getting wins and contributors out on the floor. The only memory I have of DerMarr making a tangible contribution in last season’s affairs was his defensive effort on Allen Iverson. He blocked a last second three that sealed the game, but was sporadic at best otherwise.

The answer to this conundrum, as I see it, is to leave DerMarr unsigned and try to get a more suitable guard for the Nuggets system. DerMarr is 6’9”. He also doesn’t handle the ball very well, which in turn makes it hard for him to create his own shots. The Nuggets need someone to take a little bit of the pressure on the offensive end off of Carmelo Anthony. DerMarr is not that guy and would probably be a better fit somewhere else. The NBA is sometimes a cold hearted place and while I have always liked DerMarr Johnson dating back to his Cincy days. I would be very surprised if he is in powder blue next season.