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Apparently, the Denver Nuggets don't give up easily. After failing in their efforts to acquire swingman Corey Maggette in the summer, Denver has continued to express interest in a multiplayer trade with the Clippers, Los Angeles Times reported on Friday.

Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor does not comment on trade talks, but the Nuggets are willing to include guard J.R. Smith as the centerpiece of their proposal for Maggette, the Times sources said.

Forward Joe Smith also is among the players Denver has considered moving for Maggette, who led the Clippers in scoring in the 2004-05 season. Others teams have also contacted the Clippers about Maggette, who is reportedly not a favorite of Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy ...

Longtime Jazz assistant coach Gordon Chiesa has a new pupil he's taken under his wing. For the last month, Seattle SuperSonics guard Luke Ridnour has had two best friends: new assistant coach Chiesa and a black folding chair, according to supersonics.com.

The chair has been placed at the 3-point line on the Sonics second practice court to represent the screen Ridnour is practicing using; Chiesa has been his tutor in that process. A point guard in his playing days, Chiesa worked with one of the greatest ever — John Stockton — for 14 years in Utah.

"With Gordie, he's kinda focused on me, which is good and has helped me to get better," said Ridnour.

After each Sonics practice during training camp — and continuing now into the regular season — Ridnour has worked with Chiesa, usually one-on-one, long after most of his teammates have hit the showers. Using the aforementioned chair, Chiesa has run Ridnour through every conceivable defense of the pick-and-roll.

The results of that effort are beginning to become apparent.

Ridnour's opening night performance against Portland was one of the best of his career. He scored 22 points on 10-for-17 shooting, handed out 13 assists and committed just three turnovers in 42 minutes of action, controlling the Sonics offense throughout ...

As last season wound to a close, Charlotte Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff openly discussed the possibility that he could be coaching the final games of his long NBA career. He says that won't happen this year, even as most think this will be his final season.