November 16, 2008 11:49 PM

Nuggets' Hunter optimistic about future

By Chris Tomasson
Rocky Mountain News

Good news came the Nuggets' way over the weekend.

There were worries that right knee trouble could spell the end of center Steven Hunter's career. But the news was as good as one could have expected following Friday's surgery performed by Dr. Richard Steadman at Vail's Steadman-Hawkins Clinic.

If you want to know important Dr. Steadman has been before to the Nuggets, consider he performed microfracture surgery in November 2006 on forward Kenyon Martin. Martin became the first NBA player ever to come back from microfracture surgery on each knee, and says now he hasn't felt this good in years.

With knee trouble hampering Hunter all fall, Nuggets officials had been doing everything they could to try to cheer him up.

Hunter visited a specialist last month in New York, but that doctor didn't want to perform surgery. He recommended further rest and rehabilitation for Hunter.

Apparently, that answer wasn't good enough. So Hunter visited Dr. Steadman early this month. The doctor recommended a procedure in which room in his joint would be created by cleaning out loose cartilage. That apparently would eliminate the pain Hunter, 27, has been experiencing.

Speaking Sunday, both Hunter and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, were upbeat. The surgery was a great success, and Hunter was informed he can expect to play again.

"It went very well,'' said Hunter, saying he's "definitely'' going to play again. "It was very successful.''

Hunter, ruled out by the Nuggets a minimum of 12 weeks, realizes he still might not play this season. He said he won't better be able to know that for two months.

Hunter said he won't rush anything. Even if he can't return this season, he still feels very good about his future.

Hunter's game is based on running and jumping. He believes, after two straight injury-plagued seasons, he can return to doing that.

"He's already feeling better,'' Bartelstein said.

So are the Nuggets, a team desperate for size. While the 7-foot Hunter might not be able to come back this season, he does have one year left on his contract.

Hunter often has said Nuggets fans "haven't seen the real Steven Hunter.'' He's remains hopeful they will next season.

Posted by Chris Tomasson at 11:49 PM | Comments (0)