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During the 2009 NBA regular season and playoffs, the Denver Nuggets went through a resurgence of sorts as they quickly evolved from a first round playoff exit team to a possible title contender. This move could be directly contributed to a bold move by the Nuggets as they pulled the trigger on perhaps their biggest trade in franchise history.

The trade involved bringing in hometown boy Chauncey Billups from the Detroit Pistons while sending future hall of famer and fan favorite Allen Iverson to Motown. Initially, this trade was heavily criticized by loyal fans of both the Pistons and the Nuggets, but it turned out to be the missing piece to the puzzle for Denver as they went from a second tier team to a Western Conference title contender over night.

Both Billups and Iverson aren’t getting any younger were thought to have no more than five years left in them, but Chauncey heading back to his hometown was just what he needed to resurrect his career once again as he was a major contributor to the team and one of the main reasons the Denver Nuggets were able to reach the Western Conference Finals in 2009.

Unfortunately, the Denver Nuggets were unable to take down Kobe Bryant and the eventual NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, but the consensus was that Carmelo Anthony and company would be a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.

Even though the Denver Nuggets started this past NBA regular season the right way and seemed to not miss a beat since the 2009 NBA playoffs, the team started to breakdown as the season progressed, but they were still able to clinch a high seed in the West once again.

Despite the Nuggets getting back into the playoffs with high hopes of competing for an NBA title with the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers standing in their way, the team took a severe blow just before the postseason as Nuggets head coach George Karl was ruled out of the first round of the playoffs against the Utah Jazz.

George Karl was ruled out due to being diagnosed with cancer for the second time in his life. Despite his advanced age and nature of the disease, this was something he could be yet again and that he did, but just not in time to help lead his boys back to a possible NBA title.

As a result, the Denver Nuggets really struggled with their team chemistry and were dominated by what was thought to be a lesser opponent in the Utah Jazz.

Now the question of whether or not the Nuggets will shake up the roster for the foreseeable future has been asked with the one key piece to the puzzle being Carmelo Anthony and a possible contract extension after next season.

Much like LeBron James this summer, Carmelo Anthony will without a doubt be the top free agent next summer, but the Nuggets will look to try and avoid all the hoopla and sign the All-Star to a contract extension as soon as possible.

Reportedly, the Denver Nuggets have been in talks with Carmelo Anthony about a possible three-year contract extension, but he will almost certainly wait until LeBron James and Dwyane Wade sign contracts after July 1st to determine his worth to the Nuggets.