Nuggets sign familiar face to 10-day contract

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DENVER — After waiving forward Alonzo Gee earlier this week, the Denver Nuggets signed the veteran wing to a 10-day contract Sunday, the team announced.

Gee, 29, has already appeared in 13 games for the Nuggets this season. He averaged 6.8 minutes per game and scored a season-high seven points in 27 minutes in Denver’s 132-129 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder back on Nov. 25.

The seven-year veteran was originally signed by the Nuggets back on Nov. 18 to provide help on the wing when Denver was without Will Barton and Gary Harris, who both missed a significant amount of time with ankle and groin injuries respectively.

Gee was waived on Jan. 6, two days before his $1.1 million salary was set to be guaranteed and signing Gee to a 10-day contract worth $77,000, saves the Nuggets a significant amount of money. The Nuggets can sign Gee, or any player, to two 10-day contracts before they have to either sign the player for the remainder of the season or waive him.

The Denver front office and coaching staff has long been fans of Gee. He played well in a 39-game stint with the Nuggets during the 2014-15 season and averaged 4.9 points in 13.1 minutes per game. Denver is confident that they can use the defensive-minded Gee in a pinch if injuries arise and they need an extra body to insert into their rotation.

“We love Alonzo,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone via the Denver Post, “He was terrific. So that move by no means was an indication of how we feel about him. The front office made a move that going forward gives us flexibility.”

Gee will travel with the Nuggets to London and be in uniform for their game against the Pacers Thursday at the O2 Arena.