DENVER (AP) — The Denver Nuggets have waived guard Cory Higgins and forward Michael Ruffin.

Higgins was an undrafted free agent who played at Colorado and signed with Denver on Dec. 9. His father is former NBA player Rod Higgins, who was once coached by the Nuggets’ George Karl when they were both with Golden State.

Higgins played briefly in two preseason games with the Nuggets.

Ruffin joined the Nuggets on Dec. 15 but didn’t appear in any preseason games.

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Read More: George Karl (H – DEN), Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets have been all over the NBA preseason power rankings this week, from as low as No. 19 to as high as No. 5. ESPN’s Marc Stein finally checks in with his own just two days before the start of the season. After finishing at No. 6 in Stein’s last edition all those months ago, the Nuggets open as the No. 9 team, believing that there’s too much of a disparity between a great season and one of doom and gloom:

I hear fretting about the $110 million investment in Nene and Afflalo. I hear Hollinger has the Nuggets forecasted to be the second-best team in the West. I would suggest Denver’s fate lies somewhere between such proclamations of doom and dominance.

That’s a fair take on the team entering the season. Concerns over how the team will work together after a sizable roster turnover fail to take into account that George Karl now has a team capable of doing what he wants: being a fast team that attacks the basket.

Only the Oklahoma City Thunder rank higher among the Northwest Division teams. They are the No. 3 team, behind only the No. 1 Dallas Mavericks and the No. 2 Miami Heat. Will the Thunder be able to shove their way past the Mavericks and make it to the Finals against the Heat?

For more on the Denver Nuggets, visit Denver Stiffs. Keep up with the rest of the league by visit SB Nation NBA.

Read More: George Karl (H – DEN), Denver Nuggets

Are the Denver Nuggets a sleeper pick in the NBA this season? If they are, it appears that Sports Illustrated’s Britt Robson is already feeling the Nuggets to be the surprise team of the season. In his preseason NBA power rankings, Robson places the Nuggets as his No. 5 team:

[George Karl] also has a nice mix of unselfish, well-paid stars and hungry role players who will scrap with opponents at both ends of the court in the high altitude. It is a situation tailor-made for his preferred coaching style. Don’t sleep on Denver [...] The Nuggets have a roster — and a coach — that can wear you out.

Robson is definitely more upbeat about the Nuggets than other power rankings writers. Others see the Nuggets struggling to create new chemistry after losing Wilson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith to China. However, retaining Nene and Arron Afflalo has far more impact than losing those other three since they weren’t going to return anyway (Chandler, though, could have been an exception).

Predictably, the Miami Heat, the Dallas Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls take up three of the top four spots. The surprise, though, comes in at No. 2. The Oklahoma City Thunder take that spot. They could be the new powerhouse team in the NBA.

For more on the Denver Nuggets, visit Denver Stiffs. Keep up with the rest of the league by visit SB Nation NBA.

DENVER (AP)

The Denver Nuggets have agreed to a five-year deal with restricted free agent Arron Afflalo.

The Denver Post first reported Monday night the guard had agreed to a contract that could be worth up to $43 million.

Nuggets coach George Karl was preaching the importance of bringing back Afflalo, the player he considered the ”glue guy” of the team.

Afflalo averaged 12.6 points last season and took on a bigger leadership role once Denver dealt Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks last February. The team went 18-7 the rest of the way to make the playoffs.

This is the second deal Denver has orchestrated in a week. The team also re-signed Nene to a five-year, $67 million deal.

The Nuggets open the preseason on Tuesday by hosting Phoenix.