Kleiza says signing one-year Nuggets deal possible

Forward Linas Kleiza will consider returning to the Nuggets next season on a one-year contract, enabling him to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2010.

Money is expected to be tight in the NBA this summer, when Kleiza will be a restricted free agent. He acknowledged one option is to return to the Nuggets for the $2.7 million qualifying offer and then become unrestricted in 2010 when the economy could be better and more teams are expected to have salary-cap money.

“Yes, it’s definitely a possibility,’’ Kleiza said in an interview Saturday with InDenver Times. “I don’t think they’re going to let me go unrestricted this summer. But, you know, it’s isn’t for me to decide. This team (the Nuggets) has a lot of salary-cap issues. But, you know, I’ve got a good agent (Bill Duffy).’’

Kleiza is right that the Nuggets aren’t going to let him become unrestricted this summer. An NBA source with direct knowledge of the situation said Denver will exercise the $2.7 million qualifying offer, which is the amount stipulated in Kleiza’s rookie-scale contract and which would enable the Nuggets to keep his restricted status.

With Kleiza as a restricted free agent, the Nuggets would have one week to match any offer. But it’s very possible, especially considering the economic climate, no team would make a good-sized offer on Kleiza, who has had an inconsistent season while making $1.82 million.

Kleiza last October was close to signing a four-year, $25 million contract extension before the offer was withdrawn by Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke at the last instant as Denver was beginning its effort to acquire guard Chauncey Billups from Detroit. Billups having money on his contract through 2011-12 apparently impacted Kleiza’s situation.

The Nuggets next season have eight players under contract and Antonio McDyess’ $3 million buyout number for a total of $69 million. With the salary cap expected to go down and the luxury-tax threshold to be at about $70 million, the Nuggets are in jeopardy of paying the tax, something Kroenke doesn’t want.

The Nuggets have center Chris Andersen due to become an unrestricted free agent, and likely to command a big raise from his minimum deal this season of $998,398. And then there’s Kleiza, who’s unlikely to get an offer this summer similar to the one he was hopeful of signing last fall.

Coming back for one season for $2.7 million could be more prudent than signing a longer deal starting at a dollar amount that is not much more than that. Then Kleiza would have a chance to improve his stock next season before becoming unrestricted in 2010.

After averaging 11.1 points and shooting 47.2 percent last season, Kleiza is averaging 9.6 points and shooting 44.1 percent.

“It’s been up and down,’’ said Kleiza, who shot 0-of-5 for two points in Saturday’s 120-104 win over the Clippers at the Pepsi Center. “But we’ve been winning games.’’

Regarding his future, Kleiza said, “Everything is a possibility.’’ Asked if that means he could go to Europe, an option Kleiza acknowledged last October, he said he won’t think about that until this summer.

If Kleiza plays next season in Europe, the Nuggets would retain his restricted free-agent rights for whenever he might want to return to the NBA.

THINKING ABOUT IVERSON: Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony vows to quickly get in touch with Allen Iverson, his former teammate who has been shut down for the season by Detroit and has threatened to retire.

“He’s not going to be able to hide from me,’’ Anthony said.

Anthony hopes Iverson, traded from the Nuggets to the Pistons last November, isn’t serous about retiring. Iverson was disappointed with being relegated to the bench, and the team announced he won’t play again this season due to a back problem.

“He got game left,’’ Anthony said. “I don’t think he’s going to (retire). I hope not.

“He’s been one of those guys who started trends. He was a trendsetter in this NBA. To see him gone right now, I don’t think nobody wants to see that happen. Especially not like this. Not go out like this.’’

MARTIN OUT: Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, as expected, missed Saturday’s game. Nuggets coach George Karl said Martin, who suffered a left rib cartilage strain, also will sit out Sunday at Minnesota.

“He looks like he was pretty sore,’’ Karl said. “With the three days that we have after Sunday, the precautionary attitude is probably the way to go.’’

Starting for Martin was forward Johan Petro, who totaled seven points and five rebounds in 16 minutes. In his previous seven starts, Petro had managed a meager six points.

With Martin inactive, that created room for the Nuggets to activate rookie swingman Sonny Weems. He scored two points in four minutes.

ETC.: The Nuggets raised their record to 51-26, which at least will be the best mark since they went 54-28 in 1987-88… The Nuggets have won 50 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since they entered the NBA in 1976… After scoring 29 or more points in five straight games, Anthony has averaged 20.5 the past two games while shooting just 15-of-39 (38.5 percent).