Nuggets announce summer league roster

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 3, 2008 at 2:49 p.m.
Updated July 3, 2008 at 2:49 p.m.

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The Nuggets have another player who is a testicular cancer survivor.

At least they have him for the summer.

The Nuggets announced their roster Wednesday for the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. The team begins practice July 10, with the first game July 12 against Philadelphia.

Among the invitees is undrafted Tennessee guard Chris Lofton, who recently revealed he had testicular cancer surgery in March 2007. Nuggets forward Nene missed much of last season due to testicular cancer surgery.

The summer roster includes guard Taurean Green and forward Bobby Jones, a pair of Denver players with nonguaranteed contracts who will try to get them guaranteed with a strong summer showing. The Nuggets must make a call on Green by Aug. 1 and on Jones by Aug. 15 or else their minimum deals become guaranteed.

Also on hand will be swingman Sonny Weems, drafted by Chicago in the second round last week and traded to the Nuggets. Weems’ agent, Roger Montgomery, said a contract for Weems for next season won’t be discussed until after the summer league, which concludes for the Nuggets on July 19.

In addition to Green and Jones, four other invitees have NBA experience. They are center Jelani McCoy, an eight-year veteran who played briefly last season with the Nuggets, forward Mike Hall, who played for Washington in 2006-07, guard Keith Langford, who played with San Antonio last season, and guard Dahntay Jones, who has five years NBA experience.

The Nuggets considered last April signing Dahntay Jones to a contract for the remainder of the season with a non-guaranteed deal for next season. Dahntay Jones wasn’t keen on the idea, and the Nuggets ended up signing Bobby Jones to such a contract.

Dahntay Jones is expected to sign a deal for the summer only, and would remain free to sign next season with any team. The only summer roster players the Nuggets currently hold rights on for next season are Green, Jones and Weems.

Other players on the 12-man summer roster include forward Elton Brown, who once played for the NBADL’s Colorado 14ers, guard Jamon Gordon, forward Curtis Sumpter and swingman Jeff Varem.

The team will be coached by Nuggets assistants Chad Iske and Jamahl Mosley.

In addition to facing Philadelphia, the Nuggets will meet Toronto on July 14, Milwaukee on July 17, Houston on July 18 and on July 19 the Lakers, who might feature Coby Karl, son of Nuggets coach George Karl.

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