Karl embraces idea of minors

Denver coach to make use of D-League team for Hodge

The theory George Karl doesn't like rookies has taken a bit of a hit. He's actually giving meaningful minutes this season to forward Linas Kleiza, who barely squeezed into the first round of the draft.

Nevertheless, the Denver Nuggets coach makes it known what he would like to do with most rookies. He says they would be better off playing in a 5,000-seat gym and traveling by bus.

"Personally, I think basketball is a lot like baseball," Karl said. "It would be better served if the majority, 90 percent [of NBA players went to the minor leagues]. How many baseball guys have gone directly to [the majors]?"

Karl acknowledges the NBA won't have a minor-league system similar to baseball's because "the guaranteed contracts will keep the guys in our league."

But Karl does like that strides are being made with the new system that allows teams to send as many as two players to the NBA Development League.

The Nuggets soon should assign former N.C. State guard Julius Hodge to the Austin Toros. He's the rookie Karl never plays even though Hodge, taken No. 20, was drafted seven spots ahead of Kleiza.

Hodge has averaged just one point and 1.5 minutes in four appearances this season.

NBA players so far have been going to the D-League with a trickle. Eight currently are there, with guard Dijon Thompson having been called up by the Phoenix Suns after a three-game stint with the Albuquerque Thunderbirds.

While few expected a mad rush of 60 players to the D-League, it is a bit of a surprise only seven teams have utilized the new rule.

"The NBA is in a wait-and-see situation," Thunderbirds coach Michael Cooper said. "I think they'll see how good it is for players to get some playing experience and work on their weaknesses rather than sit on the bench for 45 minutes [a game in the NBA]. I think that if Dijon plays well [for the Suns after being in the D-League], everybody will think that's not bad."

NOT A BRAND NAME YET: Few players have gotten off to a better start this season than the Clippers' Elton Brand, who already has won a pair of player of the week awards and was the player of the month for November.

"Elton is a great player," Hornets coach Byron Scott said. "He's an All-Star, no doubt about it."

But fans don't seem to share that opinion.

The first returns of voting for the All-Star Game were released this week, and Brand was seventh among Western Conference forwards -- one spot below the Suns' Amare Stoudemire, who hasn't played this season.

With Houston's Tracy McGrady and Minnesota's Kevin Garnett the leading vote-getters at that position, Brand, a former Duke star, could have to beat out a bunch of players, including Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki and Carmelo Anthony.

JAZZ PLAN TO PUNISH ROOKIE: Utah has decided what disciplinary action it wants to give rookie Robert Whaley for lying to the team, but is awaiting final approval from the NBA before issuing the punishment, a Jazz spokeswoman said.

Whaley cut his hand on glass the same night he was involved in a bar fight in Park City, Utah. He told the Jazz he cut his hand while taking a kitchen knife away from his 2-year-old son.

BLAZERS' MILES HAS SURGERY: Portland forward Darius Miles had arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage in his right knee. There was no timetable for his return, the team said.