Nuggets pick up option on Nene, not Tskitishvili

DENVER -- The Denver Nuggets picked up the $3.04 million option for next season for forward Nene on Friday, but didn't do the same for Nikoloz Tskitishvili.

Tskitishvili and Nene were selected with the fifth and seventh overall picks of the 2002 draft, but have had varying degrees of success.

Nene's game steadily progressed over his first three seasons. The native of Brazil averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds last season and is expected to team with Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin to give Denver one of the Western Conference's strongest frontcourts.

Tskitishvili, a native of the Republic of Georgia, averaged 2.7 points in his second season and didn't even play in 34 games.

Denver general manager Kiki Vandeweghe said the Nuggets haven't seen Tskitisvili play enough to pick up his option, but left open the possibility of re-signing him after the season. The Nuggets made a similar move with forward Rodney White, who re-signed just before the start of training camp this season.

Tskitisvili was due to make $3.69 million next season.