The NBA is definitely a business. Two days after waiving Alonzo Gee to make sure the remainder of his season-long contract did not vest, the Denver Nuggets have re-signed him to a 10-day contract. As stated 48 hours ago, Gee appeared in 13 games for the Nuggets this year, getting just under 7 minutes a game and averaging 0.8 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.5 assists. His role as the end-of-the-bench defender never materialized, even on a team with as many recent defensive woes as Denver.
So why re-sign him? A 10-day contract in the NBA is worth around $75,000 while Gee’s contract called for the rest of his $1.1 million dollar payout to be guaranteed by the 10th of January if he was on the roster. The Nuggets saved a significant chunk of money by going this route, and it buys them some time to make roster decisions. Gee can only be signed to two 10-day deals before Denver has to offer him a contract for the remainder of the season, and in the next 20 days the Nuggets should have an idea of what they’re doing with the season.
If they are tanking, several players may be leaving the team, thus freeing up minutes for the hard-working Gee – who is already familiar with the system. If Gee’s services are not required, he can be released without much financial investment.
For the most part this is a financial decision, but they were nice enough to buy Alonzo a ticket to London. Gee will join the rest of his teammates there prior to the game against the Pacers. Welcome back, Alonzo – for however long you stay this time. Denver’s press release follows.
