Denver and Utah: Trading places

   If you were describing the circumstances by which an NBA team would spend $82 million in payroll this season, the Denver Nuggets instantly would jump to mind as past luxury-tax payers coming off a run to the Western Conference finals.    And if you were describing the circumstances by which a team would sell draft picks, neglect to re-sign players and do everything possible to trim payroll, the Jazz would jump to mind after last season's first-round playoff exit.    Yet the Jazz and the Nuggets seemingly traded places this off-season, and although the Nuggets finished six games ahead of the Jazz in in the Northwest Division standings, the gap between the two seemingly narrowed this summer.    The Nuggets re-signed Chris Andersen to a five-year, $21.2 million deal and drafted Ty Lawson, but otherwise have had one of the most mystifying summers in the league.    They lost Dahntay Jones, who signed a four...