Denver
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
Dennis Rodman is trying out for the Denver Nuggets again today. He left his previous tryout early after citing an ingrown toenail.
"I have a job to do today," he toldThe Denver Post. "And once I do it, there will be no excuses."
The last time I saw Rodman was in January when he was with the ABA Long Beach Jam. He has three qualities that make him an intriguing pickup for any team but in particular the Nuggets.
First is the crowd reaction. People just love him. It's not a mystery to me: I love him too. He's wild and flashy but you have a sense there's a real person there, and a legend. When he steps onto the court whether it's for a shootaround or an introduction or to play, the crowd eats it up.
Second is his amazing rebounding. Both offensively and defensively, he continues to have the desire and drive that make great rebounders. He boxes out, he anticipates, and, most importantly for Denver's fast break, heimmediatelyturns to look for a streaker on the other end of the court. His outlet passes are virtually instantaneous.
Finally, his defense is still intense. On the offensive end, he will take open shots if he has to but if he's even at 19 or 20 feet or so, he'll hold the ball and work it around. He is patient.
During shootarounds, he drains threes like there's no tomorrow. He can of course shoot. But he is smart enough to recognize that that is not his forte and he would rather have a teammate shoot and let him rely on going for the offensive boards.
The biggest concerns about Rodman are his off-court issues and, worst case, his potentially negative influence, if things go bad, on the rest of the Nuggets. That's something that needs to be weighed, though he seems to be suggesting that it's not an issue anymore.
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Mark J. Spears ofThe Denver Postwrites: Rodman, 43, has arranged a tryout today with the Nuggets in his latest comeback bid.The four-time NBA rebounding champion hasn't played in the league since the 1999-2000 season.
Michael C. Wright ofThe Hampton Roads Daily Presswrites: The Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony attended Oak Hill Academy along with Josh Smith, the No. 17 pick of the 2004 NBA draft.