Rugged center must find way to fit in uptempo system
Nene might have been happier if he had joined the Wizards at the beginning of this season instead of the end. After practicing with some of his new teammates for the first time Monday, he said the one thing he won’t miss about Denver is the snow, which all but avoided Washington this year.
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But the veteran Brazilian center wasn’t happy about getting shipped out by the Nuggets at the NBA trade deadline last week. The deal also sent JaVale McGee to the Nuggets and Nick Young to the Los Angeles Clippers while bringing Clippers reserve forward Brian Cook and a 2015 second-round draft pick to the Wizards.
It took Nene until the weekend to show up in the District for his physical, and he finally will get a chance to make his first appearance when the Wizards (10-34) travel to New Jersey (15-31) on Wednesday, six days after the trade was announced.
“I was a little scared a couple days ago,” Nene said. “But I understand God had a plan, and the plan is to be here, and I’m going to do my best. That’s what I can promise.”
Nene, 29, who signed a five-year, $65 million contract with the Nuggets in December, said he had “no clue what happened.” When asked how he found about the trade, he responded, “You don’t want to know.”
But his addition solidifies the Wizards long term at center, where Nene (6-foot-11, 250 pounds) has averaged 13.4 points and 7.4 rebounds this season. He essentially missed all of 2005-06 with a knee injury and much of the 2007-08 season first with a thumb injury and then testicular cancer.
Known more as a rugged interior presence, Nene said he will have to adjust to the Wizards, who want to play uptempo with John Wall at point guard.
“I been following this team the last four games, so I saw a lot of things, too, and I know I gonna help in my position,” Nene said. “The good thing is the owner, the president, the vice president, they have good thoughts, and they will do a lot of things to win. That’s the big mentality. That’s the goal.”
The biggest challenge for both Nene and Cook, who made his first appearance for Washington on Sunday with three points and one rebound in a 97-92 loss at Memphis, will be the adjustment to a rebuilding team after leaving franchises that are likely to reach the playoffs.
Cook compared the Wizards to last year’s Clippers — before the addition of Chris Paul helped transform them into a contender. Reports have suggested that after being traded for the fourth time in his nine-year career, he could seek a buyout.
“Right now I’m just worried about being a professional, coming in here and working hard for this team,” Cook said. “It sucks that I had to come down here. But at the same time, I’m happy to be around this organization.”
Meanwhile, the Wizards announced the signing of NBA Development League call-up Edwin Ubiles to a 10-day contract. Ubiles averaged 20.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.3 assists with the Dakota Wizards after getting cut by Golden State during training camp.
