Karl's use of Martin will be crucial for Nuggets with Nene out

George Karl is in a bit of a predicament.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Denver Nuggets coach navigates the next few weeks, or months, depending on how long forward Nene will be out.

Karl’s quandary? How much does he play forward Kenyon Martin given that Karl doesn’t know when Nene will return and that Martin finally is playing well after surgeries on both knees?

It’s easy to say that the Nuggets will play the way they did in Nene’s earlier absences.

Nene missed all but about three minutes of the 2005-06 season because of a torn ACL in his right knee. He missed 22 games this season because of a torn ligament in his left thumb.

The Brazilian big man has yet to fulfill any of the potential that landed him a contract worth $60 million over six years. In that respect, Martin is in the same boat. He hasn’t filled his end of the bargain that’s paying him $92.5 million over seven years.

If there were an NBA All-Overpaid team, the Nuggets would have two power forwards starting.

But Martin’s playing now. And he’s playing well. Martin’s not near All-Star caliber or near what his salary commands, but his defensive prowess and tenacious passion toward the game are unmistakable.

If the Nuggets are to make a push into and, more importantly, after the All-Star break, they’re going to need everything Martin is giving them — and possibly more.

But how much more can Martin give before the stress of the minutes combined with his intense play cause another injury?

Martin can’t play with those thoughts. Karl would be a dumb coach if he didn’t consider them.

“I don’t think you take a guy who’s playing 20-25 minutes and go, ‘OK, give him 35-40 minutes,’” Karl said after Friday’s victory over the Orlando Magic. “There are going to be games we’ll let him go. And there are going to be games where we’ll try to keep his minutes in ... you don’t want to get him into a fatigue position.”

Fatigued athletes are more prone to injury. With Martin’s still-rehabbing status and recent strained hamstrings, the potential for injury dramatically increases.

That’s where Nene will be missed. The Nuggets might know the intricacies of Nene’s issue, but they’re keeping it private. For now, there is only public speculation as to what will keep Nene away for an indefinite period. A possible return date, as far as Karl is concerned, is low on the priority list.

“His health, his future, his life is much more important than basketball,” Karl said. “So we just want him to get his situation straight and then get back to the team as soon as possible. But just take care of himself first.”

Karl has experience in serious personal health issues. He was treated for prostate cancer in 2005. His son, Coby, was diagnosed with papillary carcinoma in January 2006 and had his thyroid removed three months later. Then in April 2007, Coby had additional surgery to remove cancerous lymph nodes.

Memories of those experiences still trouble Karl.

“I went months waking up scared,” Karl said. “At times now, I wake up and there’s a tweak and a twinge in the kidney or in my back somewhere, I think it’s cancer. I don’t think I have a bad back, I think I’ve got cancer.”

There’s not a guide book to follow for this situation. All Karl and the Nuggets can do is wait to see exactly what’s wrong and offer support when it’s needed.

“When I had my surgery, it was incredible the support I felt from the organization and also from the fans of Denver — the e-mails and stuff like that,” Karl said. “We want him back, need him back, need to get him back, and I think we will get him back.”

Until then, and as cold as it sounds, the Nuggets have games to play. Karl has tough decisions to make.

Martin had not played more than 27 minutes in any of his first five games since returning Dec. 26 from a hamstring injury. Martin played 38 minutes Friday.

That’s exactly what Karl said he didn’t want to do.