"Mark Warkentien was packing for a scouting trip Friday morning when he gazed at the television.

"I saw on the ESPN scrawl we had traded for Jamaal Tinsley, so, at that point, I grabbed my encyclopedia to see if Dewey had defeated Truman," said the Nuggets executive, referring to the 1948 presidential winner inaccurately reported by the Chicago Tribune.

The New York Post reported Friday the Nuggets would trade guard Chucky Atkins and center Steven Hunter to Indiana for the banished Tinsley, pending the point guard passing a physical. The story was refuted by Nuggets coach George Karl and Hunter's agent, Mark Bartelstein.

While Warkentien would not comment to the Rocky beyond the above quote, he told ESPN.com the Post report was "erroneous."

Karl said the Nuggets have discussed acquiring Tinsley, who is being barred from training camp because of several off- the-court episodes.

"He's a guy that we have talked about," Karl said of Tinsley, who, if acquired, could result in the Nuggets being back into serious luxury-tax trouble in 2010-11.

"But when I heard all of the stuff (Friday) morning, I was laughing. I think this is a regurgitation of a philosophy of months ago. I don't think it's that hot."

While The Indianapolis Star posted on its Web site Friday night an unnamed source saying there remains a "possibility" Tinsley could be dealt to Denver as early as Monday, ESPN.com earlier in the day reported Warkentien having "emphatically denied that there was anything brewing between the two sides."

Karl said the Post story wasn't "good for the morale" at practice Friday.

"I talked to Chucky and Steven before practice and laughed about it a little bit," Karl said.

"They're older guys who have been in the league and probably have read their name in too many gossip columns. I told them . . . 'We're sorry.' We apologized. (Nuggets executive) Rex (Chapman) apologized. I apologized for putting them through it. But I don't think there's anything to it."

Bartelstein said the teams have discussed a possible trade but nothing "is imminent."

"I think there have been conversations because everybody knows the Nuggets are looking for a point guard and Indiana another big," Bartelstein said.

Bartelstein was asked if the deal still could occur.

"I wouldn't say there's no chance, but it's not close to happening," he said. "There are conversations going on.""