Magic Johnson became one of the NBA's top point guards while still doing rookie chores in 1979-80. Two years later, Isiah Thomas approached that level while still delivering doughnuts.

Generally, though, it takes time to develop into an elite point guard. Steve Nash averaged 3.3 points as a rookie, John Stockton 5.6 and Gary Payton 7.2.

But now there's Chicago rookie Derrick Rose. He's averaging 17 points and 6.4 assists and is all but a lock to be the second point guard in the past nine years chosen Rookie of the Year.

Take it from the last point to win the award. Rose is ahead of the learning curve.

"His teammates have given him the confidence," said New Orleans' Chris Paul, honored in 2005-06 for averaging 16.1 points and 7.8 assists. "They're allowing him to make mistakes. . . . When you make a turnover or two and all your teammates are yelling at you and your coach is taking you out, then you're not sure what to expect."

The Nuggets might not fully know what to expect tonight at Chicago. They saw Rose on Nov. 23 in Denver, when he totaled 15 points, six assists and four turnovers in a 114-101 Chicago loss.

Rose, taken with the top pick out of Memphis, has gotten even better since then. In his past five games, he has averaged 20.4 points and 6.8 assists, while shooting 55.8 percent.

Saturday during All-Star Weekend, the 6-foot-3 Rose won the Skills Challenge, an event in which point guards maneuver their way through a basketball obstacle course. Rose barely broke a sweat in defeating Tony Parker, Devin Harris and Mo Williams, who all played in the All-Star Game.

"I really can't wait," Rose said of wanting an All-Star invitation next season. "This summer, I'll work harder, work on my weaknesses and just go hard throughout the whole summer because playing in the big game is real important to me."

If Rose is an All-Star in his second season, that would be something even Paul didn't do.

While Johnson and Thomas are the last two rookie point guards chosen as All-Stars, Nash didn't get the call until his sixth season, Stockton his fifth and Payton his fourth. Even Allen Iverson, who admitted to being a point guard early in his career, didn't make an All-Star Game until his third try.

"Instant impact," the Detroit guard said of Rose. "He's doing a great job handling everything that he has to do, as far as having that spotlight on him. I think he's doing a beautiful job, and he's only going to get better."

Already, Rose is a lot better than most expect from a rookie point guard.

Cost-cutting summer

Thursday's trade deadline passed with the Nuggets, as expected, not making a move. Their heavy lifting was done last month, when they made a pair of trades to ensure finishing the season under the luxury-tax threshold of $71.15 million.

But the Nuggets will have plenty of work to do this summer to avoid being taxpayers next season, something owner Stan Kroenke obviously doesn't want.

Because of the sagging economy, the salary cap is expected to go down. Players' union director Billy Hunter told the Rocky Mountain News he expects the cap, now at $58.68 million, to drop about $1 million.

Most observers believe the cap will fall even more in 2010 because of an expected steep decline in 2009-10 season-ticket sales.

Next season's tax line could be at $70 million, which wouldn't be good news for Denver. The Nuggets have eight players under contract for about $66 million and will also take a $3 million cap hit from Antonio McDyess' buyout.

That equals $69 million. That would give the Nuggets $1 million to spend on five roster spots, which obviously is impossible.

The Nuggets will have a restricted free agent, Linas Kleiza, who was close to signing a four- year, $25 million extension in October before Kroenke nixed it.

It remains to be seen how Denver might be able to retain Kleiza, although he could return for the $2.7 million qualifying offer and become unrestricted in 2010.

The Nuggets must also be wary about Chris Andersen, who will be an unrestricted free agent, getting an offer well above the $998,398 minimum he's earning this season. Any salary Denver offered Andersen above the minimum would need to come out of a cap exception and would further hurt their cap number due to the NBA not picking up a portion.

Other Nuggets free agents will be unrestricted Anthony Carter and Dahntay Jones and restricted Johan Petro. It's unlikely any could land more than a minimum deal in this economic climate.

Last summer, Denver went into a cost-cutting mode and dispatched Marcus Camby. But trimming money could be harder this summer, with uninspiring Steven Hunter ($3.7 million next season) and Renaldo Balkman ($2.1 million) having expiring contracts that could be unloaded but fewer teams taking on extra money.

The Nuggets' top five players are all under contract for next season. But what really could get hurt is Denver's depth.

Lockout threat

NBA commissioner David Stern and Billy Hunter of the players' union revealed last weekend that the sides are discussing reopening the collective-bargaining agreement early. That would be to avert the chance of a lockout in 2011, which could happen if the NBA doesn't pick up the CBA's 2011-12 option year.

Hunter, though, said players are content with the status quo. He said owners, the ones most nervous because of the downturn in the economy, would need to put together something that makes sense to players for them to give up early what they now deem an acceptable system.

But won't the owners threaten the players by saying if a new deal isn't struck well ahead of time, there will be a lockout in 2011 and everybody will lose?

"That's what they'll say," said an unconcerned Hunter.

Top pick not always top at the end

Chicago guard Derrick Rose is in line to become the third top pick to be named NBA Rookie of the Year since the 1998 draft, and he would be the second from the Bulls. How Rose's statistics compare with the most recent No. 1 picks to win the award:

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