As the search for a new head coach of the Denver Nuggets drags on, Jazz assistant coach Phil Johnson has opted to take his name out of the running for the vacant position.
     
"Although the Nuggets never offered me the job, the longer the process took, the easier it was for me to make the decision to remain with the Jazz," Johnson said Wednesday. "I was never sure that I would leave, even if the offer would have been extended to me. It would have taken a lot for me to leave a situation I feel very good about."
     
Johnson's Utah colleagues had continued to back his bid for the post.
     
"We'd hate to lose him, but they'd be smart to hire him," Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's vice president of basketball operations, had said Tuesday.

The (AP) reports: Utah Jazz assistant Phil Johnson said Wednesday he has withdrawn as a candidate for the head coaching job with the Denver Nuggets.

"Although the Nuggets never offered me the job, the longer the process took, the easier it was for me to make the decision to remain with the Jazz," he said. "I was never sure that I would leave, even if the offer would have been extended."

Johnson reportedly was one of two finalists in Denver, along with Dallas assistant and former Lakers coach Del Harris.

For the past 14 seasons, Johnson has been the top assistant to Utah coach Jerry Sloan. He was the NBA's coach of the year in 1974-75, leading the Kansas City-Omaha Kings to a 44-38 record and second place in the Midwest Division. He coached the Kings from 1973-78 and the Kansas City-Sacramento Kings from 1984-87.

RealGM Note: This could open the door for Harris to get the Nuggets job. Usually when a canadiate for a Head coaching job withdraws, it means that he wasn't going to get the job. Then again, it has been said the Del Harris really likes being an assistant in Dallas and even if he were to think about leaving, Mark Cuban might bump up his salary again to convince him to stay. Stay tuned to Wiretap for more on the Nuggets Head Coaching situation.

An article on Denver's possible signing of free agent Mark Blount from the Boston Celtics and what could happen as a result.  More moves are to come says assistant GM David Fredman

Marc J. Spears of the Denver Post reports that the Nuggets are close to another signing. After finalizing the Calbert Cheaney signing on Monday, they are expected to sign Boston free agent center Mark Blount to a one-year contract.

Although Blount is a restricted free agent, the Celtics are expected to allow him to sign with the Nuggets. The recent acquisitions of Vin Baker and Bruno Sundov by Boston may have made Blount expendable.

"We're close," said Nuggets assistant general manager David Fredman, whose team brought Blount in for a workout two weeks ago. "There are still some things that need to be done. He's still another team's property."

Counting guaranteed contracts and players expected to be on the roster, the addition of Blount could push Denver's roster to 14. That excludes free-agent guard Voshon Lenard and forward-center Zendon Hamilton. An NBA roster can include 12 active players and three on the injured list.

Denver is considering keeping center Francisco Elson, a 1999 second-round draft pick, and rookie guard Junior Harrington, who recently signed a contract contingent on him making the team. Newly acquired point guard Mark Jackson could be on the roster, traded or bought out of his contract; swingman James Posey has been involved in many trade rumors.

"There are more moves to come," Fredman said.

Kyle Ringo of the Rocky Mountain News reports that the Nuggets want to make a few changes. They are looking to trade James Posey and sign Cleveland free agent Ricky Davis.

The Nuggets are still looking for a trade partner to take Posey. They were close to trading him to Washington before the draft, but the Wizards backed out when the Nuggets asked for too much in return.

A source said that Denver has discussed deals with several teams and even Washington has sowed renewed interest. Trading Posey makes sense if the Nuggets are actually targeting swingman Ricky Davis. Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe denied trying to trade Posey, but when asked Thursday if the Nuggets were pursuing Davis, he admitted they are interested.

"He's a very good player," Vandeweghe said.

Davis is a restricted free agent, meaning that the Cavaliers can match any offer from any other team. If the Nuggets were to sign Davis to an offer sheet, they Cavs could match the offer and steal him from Denver.

The teams could work a sign and trade deal instead, which would allow Denver to get Davis and Cleveland to get some compensation in return. Davis could start for Denver at shooting guard, where Posey is scheduled to play. It is unlikely he would start at small forward if he came to Denver because the Nuggets are hoping to give rookie Nikoloz Tskitishvili the bulk of the playing time there to speed his development.

The Jazz essentially reached an agreement in principle with 6-foot-7 swingman Calbert Cheaney on Wednesday and hoped to have the Denver Nuggets free agent signed as early as this morning.
     
The nine-season NBA veteran and former Associated Press College Player of the Year at the University of Indiana comes with a reputation for solid, albeit not long-distance, shooting.
     
"I think the fact he shot 48 percent on a team (Denver) that didn't win a lot of games is something that tells you that he's gonna care about whether you win or lose," Jazz basketball operations vice president Kevin O'Connor said Wednesday night.  Cheaney has a career scoring average of 10.9 points, including 7.3 for the Nuggets last season.
     
He didn't make any of his four three-point attempts in 2001-2002 but is a career 46.4 percent shooter and scored in double figures for his first five NBA seasons, all part of a six-season stay in Washington.

One day after coach Jerry Sloan revealed why nine-season Jazz vet Bryon Russell won't be offered a new contract in Utah, the franchise took time to woo another veteran swingman.
     
The Jazz are talking with Denver Nuggets free agent Calbert Cheaney, a career 43.9 percent shooter who spent the first six of his nine NBA seasons in Washington.
     
Jazz basketball operations vice president Kevin O'Connor said no offer had been made as of Tuesday, but he has spoken with both the 31-year-old Cheaney and his agent.
     
"I gave our . . . pitch about what we are, and who we are, and told him to take a look at it, and then we'd sit down and review what we thought about it," O'Connor said. "That's all it is."

Free-agent swingman Calbert Cheaney won't be back in a Denver Nuggets uniform next season.

Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said he was told Tuesday that Cheaney had reached an agreement with the Utah Jazz. Vandeweghe previously had expressed interest in re-signing Cheaney this summer, but he admitted Tuesday that wasn't a likely scenario because of the Nuggets' salary structure.

Denver is well above the salary cap and its primary need is a backup center.

Kevin O'Connor, Utah's vice president of basketball operations, said no agreement had been reached with Cheaney, but he admitted he had talked with Cheaney's agent Michael Higgins.

The Jazz might lose an assistant coach to Denver, but they could wind up with one of the Nuggets' shooting guards.

The Jazz had serious interviews with Calbert Cheaney on Tuesday, and while a formal offer hadn't been tendered by late in the day, the two sides are believed to be close to an agreement.

"He can play in a system very well and he is a professional," said Kevin O'Connor, Utah's vice president of basketball operations, who stressed no commitments had been made on either side.

With no plans to bring Bryon Russell back for a 10th season, the Jazz are considering candidates to replace him. First in line: another nine-year vet.

Calbert Cheaney, who has played for Washington, Boston and the past two seasons with Denver, has discussed a free-agent contract with Kevin O'Connor, the Jazz's vice president for basketball operations. A decision about the 31-year-old guard could be made quickly, O'Connor said, but "I wouldn't call it close."