By Heath Copps

GMs don't talk to prospective free agents like tip earners report all their income. It's part of the biz. Say all the generically proper things to the press and get your backdoor guys to spread the word to the right people.

After all, you have to let 'em know you're interested before official talks begin in July. This free agent mating ritual is brutal like broken tusk elephant showdowns or dueling, horny bucks coming out with a few less points on their rack. This is no place for the meek or humble. Every edge counts and savvy networkers reign supreme. Nuggets GM Kiki Vandeweghe knows this and seems to have cultivated the respect of every player who is a player in this upcoming signing period.

The Player's GM

Jason Kidd lists the Denver Nuggets as a fourth option. And they'll be the first he talks too, 'cuz they have the most money and biggest need at point. It's called raisin' the stakes. Byron Scott called it "Jason being a businessman." He knows the game and he knows Jason'll be back come November with a fatter wallet and a wife with an even bigger camera smile.

And Kiki will play the game willing. He's a player's GM.

He'll let Kidd use him as leverage and chalk up another one on the favor-owed chart. Not necessarily gonna be reciprocated from KiddyHawk (the nose, the eyes, his knack for being around the ball -- get it?) directly, rather he'll get his in the big payback.

Players see that Kiki works with 'em. Helps them. Goes for the win-win. Gives winning-starved vets (i.e. Tim Hardaway, Mark Jackson, Chris Whitney, Mark Blount) tickets out of town for a chance to be picked up by a contender, rather than play out their days in perdition.

Now, the numbers work out decently for the Nuggets too, but let's not get picayune. Kiki doles favors and the karma returns with interest quick-like.

Before the jump ball Kidd shakes a hand and whispers to a friendly opponent: "Kiki's a'ight." Opponent whispers to agent: "Kiki's a'ight." Agent whispers to other clients: "Kiki's a'ight." Until eventually you have a slew of guys that want to play for the man, 'cause "Kiki's a'ight."

Of course, it doesn't hurt that the Nuggets are one of a handful of teams that can actually pay a couple of the 140 free agents this summer. And that he's got moneybags Stan Kroenke salivating over the chance at a veritable triple-crown of big league ownership:

· 2000 NFL Champs St. Louis Rams
· 2001 NHL Champs Colorado Avalanche
· ??? NBA Champs Denver Nuggets

He's going do what it takes to win in terms of cash flow.

Jumpin' Ship -- Going Back to Colo

Hell, the LA Clippers want to move over en masse. Seems like everybody over there is talking about playing for the Nuggets with dreamy anticipation. Kinda weird. Kinda tampering in reverse. Lamar Odom, Corey Maggette, Elton Brand, Michael Olowokandi. The Nuggets don't want the Clipps en masse, then again maybe they've conspired to force a bigger pay day (which is as close as this motley group will get to teamwork).

But Donald Sterling is one guy that's not going get caught up in the leverage scenario. As owner of the Clippers, he cleared more profit than just about every other team this year. And that's with a severely underachieving, dissatisfied bunch that went 27-55.

Sterling's a businessman first, with a little different perspective on the win (profit)-loss column. That said, he's got to sign some of his guys so as not to be penalized for being under the minimum team salary threshold. He's probably had talks with his restricted FA's like this...

"Elton you and I both know I don't really give a shit about winning in this league. I put out an entertaining product with young upsider athletes and I make a ton of money doing it, unlike 75% of the owners in this league. Now, there's this little thing called the minimum salary requirement the league has that requires me to pay a certain amount in salaries. If I let all of you guys go, I won't meet that lowball figure, so I need to sign you. I know you want out of here but if you sign a one-year extension, you can command more money and be free and clear to go next year. Deal."

Step One: Blow that Shit Up

The deconstruction was a complete success. And let's not minimize the skill it took. Blowing up the Nuggets and tanking the season with style was quite an accomplishment. Some of the things that Kiki helped make happen:

· Get rid of a ton of deadweight and malcontent.
· Lowball established well-known coaches with short "no way in hell we can get that team to win that quick" contracts, guaranteed to be rejected ("but we tried") in order to pick up a first year coach nobody's ever heard of on the cheap. An easy man to vilify and oust if need be.
· Mastermind the hardest working team in basketball marketing campaign and then get giggly as your sacrificial lamb coach actually pulls it off for real.
· Maintain Juwan Howard's rep as a perfect gentleman and consummate professional, despite an alimony dispute placing him in the top tier of pros that rear (children).
· Get rooks valuable PT.
· Squeeze some wins and close games out of the least talented roster in the league.
· Watch Nene approaches the brink of stardom.
· And, finally, the team breaks all odds and drops only one spot in the draft, enabling Final Four MOP Carmelo Anthony to don the light blue cap.

Then, as if that's not enough Kiki starts a new NBA management trend -- a tactic for future GM how-to manuals. By accepting, in trade, the ugliest contract he could find (Howard's $20 million) in exchange for a grip of ugly contracts, Kiki created what will be known with reverence as Cap Space Upside.

You see, when J-How comes off the books, the team's got a ton of dough to work with, instead of watching bad Dan Issel contracts (i.e. Avery Johnson and Tariq Abdul Wahad) bleed them slowly to death

Now, everybody's looking for horrible contracts to gobble up just so they can watch them disappear and create the summer nirvana that is -- Cap Space Upside. Sure we'll pay Terrell Brandon $11 million for being broken...send him over. Oh, Derrick Coleman what a terrible contract, what an underachiever, we'll take him. Is Big Country Reeves still getting paid, we neeeeeeeed him? Hakeem Olajuwon retired with another year on his deal, we'll subsidize his golf game. Ah, an unmotivated big man, rumored to suffer from joy juice abuse with a balloon contract, how very enticing -- give us Vin Baker now (oh crap -- he still has four years left).

Kiki, yes, Kiki -- turning out to be as much of a trailblazer in the GM role as he was as player.

Step Two: Put that Shit Back Together Again

Now the rubber meets the road. Where crazy ass theories go under the microscope. Where Kiki makes his money. It better be a July to remember or Kiki will go down as just another dreamer. 2 or 3 impact FAs shall waltz in that Pepsi Center door, or Kiki, we hardly knew ye.

Now, with Carmelo's smooth offensive game and Nene terrorizing the paint, the Nuggets are rock solid at the forward positions, making Kiki's job easier. Still he needs to produce.

· Arenas/Maggette/Kandi -- Not bad
· Arenas/Andre Miller/Rasho Nesterovic -- Kiki's a'ight
· Kidd/Jermaine O'Neal -- Get outta here

But, this is a tricky game. Some of the FA's the Nuggets are looking at are restricted, allowing their current team to match any offer within 15 days. That's forever and a day of praying the deal gets done, as other potential signees see they're not the first choice and look elsewhere.

And there's dodging all of the agent BS flying in the media: "Mark my words! My guy will not even think about less than $8 million, 'cause I won't let him think about less, 'cause I want TO GET PAID!"

Plus: You can't overpay and screw the team in the future, before it has a chance to put together all the pieces (i.e. Joe Smith -- not even talking illegal tampering episode, Eddie Robinson, Grant Hill).

And, don't forget the Nuggets won 17 games last season, and if winning does mean as much as players lip serve, well then, that's a hard sell.

Nonetheless, it's going be fun to watch this thing shake out. And if it goes the Nuggets way, that's damn fine general managing.

It's your move, Kiki.

Freelance writer Heath Copps gets basketball visions while eating slightly fermented mangoes. E-mail him at gowiggle@qwest.net.