DENVER — JaKarr Sampson was standing in front of the Nuggets' locker room discussing how the NBA has shifted to where players on opposing teams are friends when a crowd entered the hallway as if on cue.
“There are my boys coming down right now,” Sampson said with a grin.
A group of Sixers players had arrived at the Pepsi Center for an off-day workout ahead of Wednesday’s game against the Nuggets. A month earlier, and for the past two seasons, they had been Sampson’s teammates. The Sixers' players and members of the training staff swarmed him with embraces.
The Sixers waived Sampson at the trade deadline in February to clear a roster spot for Joel Anthony in a later-voided three-team deal with the Rockets and Pistons. Sampson traveled from New Orleans, where the Sixers were playing the Pelicans, to Philadelphia to wait for the next move. The Nuggets claimed Sampson off waivers and signed him to a multi-year deal on Feb. 22.
“It was tough,” Sampson said. “At first I was like, 'Oh man,' but it is part of the business. It’s a part of the NBA, a part of business. I looked at it as a positive and it ended up being a positive. I’m with a great organization, Denver, I’ve got a great coach and a great team.”
Sampson fit in quickly with the Nuggets. He said his focus is being a defensive presence while he continues to work on becoming a two-way player.
“Even prior to getting him I was a fan of his,” Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said. “His defensive versatility, a guy that could guard one through four, a guy that embraced and enjoyed the defensive challenge. I'm a defensive-minded head coach and I think having guys like JaKarr was very welcome. He's been terrific. I'd put him on LeBron (James), Carmelo (Anthony), John Wall, whoever it is and he goes out there and even if the other guy scores, he's going to make him work for everything he gets.”
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Sampson had been averaging 14.7 minutes over 47 games for the Sixers this season, but played a total of 32 minutes in his final 10 games with the team. Now on the Nuggets, Sampson has started in 12 of his 15 games as the injury of Danilo Gallinari has created more minutes.
“When you come into a new team late in the season, I think what JaKarr has done is really smart,” Malone said. “You try to fit in before you stand out. He's done that. He's true to himself, he's got a smile on his face, and guys like being around him. He's got a very outgoing, bubbly personality, which I think all the guys have gravitated to.”
Sampson's on-the-court reunion with the Sixers may have to wait until next season. He suffered a right shoulder strain and Malone said he is questionable to play Wednesday.
In the meantime, Sampson still keeps in touch with the Sixers, most frequently talking to Jerami Grant and Richaun Holmes. Even though he doesn't see them every day and will only have two regular-season meetings playing in different conferences, he values the friendships he created.
"I feel like I formed relationships with those guys," he said. "That was my first NBA team, that I’m going to carry on for the rest of my NBA career."