Jameer Nelson Re-Signs With Nuggets: Latest Contract Details, Comments, Reaction

Veteran point guard Jameer Nelson has agreed to re-sign with the Denver Nuggets on a three-year deal. RealGM's Shams Charania reported the news Monday, and ESPN insider Marc Stein added that Nelson's contract is worth $13.5 million.

Nelson offers necessary leadership for a young Denver squad that needs to buy in better than it did under prior head coach Brian Shaw. Retaining Nelson also provides rookie floor general Emmanuel Mudiay with an excellent mentor as he starts his NBA career.

Raj Sharan of ESPN Denver weighed in on the implications of Nelson's fresh contract:

This transaction by the Nuggets fortifies the notion that Ty Lawson will be traded. Lawson lamented Denver's decision to select Mudiay No. 7 overall while watching the draft with friends. Video of Lawson's viewing party surfaced, to which Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly responded.

"I think there's often times poor judgment used by all of our players," Connelly said, per the Denver Post's Nicki Jhabvala.

Bleacher Report's Howard Beck has heard Lawson will likely be on the move before the 2015-16 season tips off:

The Nuggets' culture isn't the best—which is rather apparent in Connelly's comments about Lawson—but Nelson can help facilitate a more positive environment in a new era under coach Mike Malone.

All indications are that Denver is headed in a different, more promising direction at a position that is loaded with talent in the modern NBA. Nelson is a savvy distributor who's averaged 5.3 assists to just 2.2 turnovers per contest in 11 seasons.

Although it's a small sample size of 34 games, his per 36-minute averages with Denver in 2014-15 came out to 16.8 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.3 steals (h/t Basketball-Reference.com). Those figures suggest the 33-year-old's best basketball isn't completely behind him.

Nelson is also a career 37.1 percent three-point shooter, which will help a squad that was third-worst in the Association last season in making shots at a 32.5 percent clip from downtown. Since Mudiay has a jumper that needs work, he can lean on Nelson for guidance in that regard as well.