Andre Miller has been quite the vocal Nugget this season. A couple of weeks ago, he went on record of saying that the Nuggets have a good team, but he’s not sure if they have what it takes to win it all. Miller said that the teams who win championships have that superstar player and the Nuggets are lacking that.
Head Coach George Karl disagreed with Miller and said he would have to have a talk with the 36-year-old point guard when they got to Toronto before the All-Star break.
Miller has also went on record saying he wants more playing time and isn’t sure how much longer Denver wants him around.
February 12, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Denver Nuggets guard Andre Miller (24) gets past Toronto Raptors forward-guard Alan Anderson (6) for a shot during the first half at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
“I don’t know how much longer they want me here. I definitely would like to contribute more,” Miller said, when asked if he wanted to finish his career in Denver. “I’m not just going to sit back and settle in and be a backup and let my career just fade away. I’m competitive in that way.”
Despite the trade deadline arriving in just a few hours, General Manager Masai Ujiri told Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post that Miller isn’t going anywhere.
“Andre is not going anywhere,” Ujiri said. “We want to win.”
Miller is currently No. 4 on the team at 25.6 minutes per game and is averaging 8.9 points and 5.7 assists per contest. With the recent ankle injury to starting point guard Ty Lawson, Miller could get his wish with increased minutes. Earlier this season, Lawson was forced to miss the Nuggets game against the Los Angeles Clippers, but Miller was able to step in and check Chris Paul to secure the victory.
While the extent of the injury isn’t known for Lawson, the Nuggets play back-to-back games Friday and Saturday which could allow Miller to see an increase of playing time. Normally a spark off the bench, Miller could give the Nuggets, losers of three out of four games, a spark at tip off.