Andre Miller appeared in all 82 regular season games for the Nuggets last year, and played well enough to where he was a key component in helping the team finish with 57 wins, good for third best in a loaded Western Conference.
Miller performed almost too well, however, because George Karl felt the need to stick with him for extended stretches instead of doing what management was urging him to -- developing some of the younger talent on the roster.
That was one of the sticking points that led to Denver parting ways with its tenured head coach, but new GM Tim Connelly said that Miller will return next season.
From Ben Hochman of the Denver Post:
Miller would appear to be expendable, not only due to the signing of Robinson and the wish to develop guys like Evan Fournier, but also due to his relatively small contract in relation to his skill set.
Miller is the type of player who could bolster a team’s playoff chances, and he’s only on the books for $5 million this season, and is only partially guaranteed for $2 million the season after.
If Ty Lawson is healthy and playing well, and if Robinson provides a consistent scoring spark off the bench, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Miller moved by the trade deadline for some young assets or future quality draft picks. But for now, it appears as though the team is planning on entering the season with him firmly in place on the roster.
