Nick Van Exel is currently averaging career lows in points per game, field-goal percentage and minutes per game and is also a full-time reserve for the first time in his 10-year career. So why is he so happy?

Well, after spending three-plus seasons with one of the NBA's most struggling franchises in the Denver Nuggets, Van Exel is more than ecstatic to be a key member of arguably the NBA's best team in the Dallas Mavericks.

	Nick Van Exel couldn't wait to get out of Denver.

"Overall, it's like night and day," Van Exel said. "I'm so happy to be in a winning situation. I'm happy to be back in the league, basically. My spirits are up. I'm just feeling good about everything. It's a good feeling going into arenas now where you're expected to win.

"You're surrounded by guys who can take the pressure off you and you can take the pressure off them. It's just relaxing."

With only the Los Angeles Clippers offering much less, then-Nuggets general manager and coach Dan Issel signed Van Exel to a seven-year deal paying nearly $80 million in 1998. But money couldn't buy Van Exel's love.

With a three-man scoring threat of Van Exel, Antonio McDyess and Raef LaFrentz, the Nuggets seemed to have the pieces in place for a formidable team. But under then-coach Dan Issel, that trio's best season was a 40-42 performance during the 2000-01 campaign.

Prior to the 2001-02 season, however, the Nuggets believed they had a team capable of making the playoffs for the first time since 1995. McDyess was coming off a 2001 NBA All-Star appearance, LaFrentz was reaching his potential and had extra motivation in the final year of his contract and Van Exel was one of the NBA's most feared scorers.

But all of those hopes died instantly when McDyess suffered a knee injury at the beginning of training camp and missed most of the season. In a three-team trade on Oct. 22, 2001, Nuggets center Kevin Willis ended up with Houston while Denver got Milwaukee center Scott Williams and a first-round pick. Van Exel hated the Willis deal and had no problem saying it.

With McDyess and fellow starter Tariq Abdul-Wahad out with knee injuries, Denver entered a game against Cleveland on Dec. 8, 2001 with a 7-12 record and coming off a tough two-point loss at Toronto. Following a 109-99 loss to the Cavaliers, the frustration reached a boiling point for Van Exel, who unsolicitedly revealed to the media that he was tired of losing and had asked management to trade him.

The situation was more than ugly. Van Exel constantly stated his feelings and once said being traded from Denver "would be the greatest feeling." The Nuggets' fans booed Van Exel, and Van Exel egged the fans to boo more. In the end, Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe had no choice but to deal him.

Van Exel nixed a potential trade to the Boston Celtics after declining to give up the final two years of his contract. (Hey C's fans, imagine Van Exel with Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker now). But last Feb. 21, Van Exel went from rags to riches as he was dealt with LaFrentz, Abdul-Wahad and Avery Johnson to the Mavericks for Juwan Howard, Donnell Harvey, Tim Hardaway and a first-round pick.

Not only did Van Exel get a chance to play with an drastically better team, but he was also living in the same town where his son lives and a place closer to his offseason home in Houston. When asked recently if he had any ill feelings toward Van Exel for wanting to be traded, Howard said: "I love him as a player and respect him as a person. It's not Nick's fault. The truth is I think Dallas really wanted Raef; Nick happened to be an extra added plus to the trade. I have no bitter feelings about Nick or the trade."

On the flip side, the Nuggets cleared big money by losing the contracts of Van Exel, Abdul-Wahad and Johnson and the potential deal with LaFrentz. Howard's contract, which pays $20 million this season, also comes to a conclusion this summer. So while the Mavericks have the talent, the Nuggets will not only get a high draft choice this summer but they'll also have enough money to sign two max free agents or three solid ones.

	“	I like our chances, but it's early. Sacramento is tough, San Antonio has been a thorn in our side, then there is (the Lakers). It's not going to be easy, but we feel very confident about our chances. ”
		— Nick Van Exel

"(The Nuggets) are freeing up a lot of money and somebody's going to be out there that's going to want some money," Van Exel said. "When it comes down to money, I'm sure the top free agents are going to go somewhere where they have a chance at winning a championship. But, there are going to be some good free agents that are going to want that money."

Van Exel has since played in Denver twice while wearing a Mavericks uniform and was booed every time he touched the ball. After his last appearance at the Pepsi Center on Dec. 18, the 31-year-old seemed to view his issues with the Nuggets as forgotten ones although the fans in Denver will never forget.

"It's a dead issue with me," Van Exel said. "I know a lot of people (in Denver) still (remember). They are going to bring it up every time they see me. They have nothing else to do. But it's a dead issue with me. I'm just a little disappointed that they didn't retire my jersey. I thought my jersey was going to be retired. I thought I was going to get a ceremony with them turning off the lights and welcoming me back. But all I got is booed."

While the Nuggets walked into Wednesday's action with LeBron James dreams and a 9-28 record, Dallas entered a showdown with the Sacramento Kings with a 31-5 mark and dreams of an NBA championship.

Van Exel played on some good teams with the Lakers from 1993 to '98 that included Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. But with this season's Mavericks, he probably has the best chance to get sized for a championship ring.

"I like our chances, but it's early," said Van Exel, who's averaging 11.4 points a game, shooting 36.2 percent on 3-pointers and ranking 10th in the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.02). "Sacramento is tough, San Antonio has been a thorn in our side, then there is (the Lakers). It's not going to be easy, but we feel very confident about our chances."

"Nick is a guy who is a lucky man," Howard said. "I know he is smiling and having fun because he is in a great situation. I know, I just left there."

Marc J. Spears, who covers the Denver Nuggets for the Denver Post, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.