“Management of the local NBA franchise has shown it is unafraid to make trades involving a marquee player,” writes the Denver Post’s Mark Kizla, reporting the Nuggets will attempt to do just that with Carmelo Anthony if their leading scorer rejects a three-year, $65 million extension that’s currently on the table.
With an eye on how megastars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have held the league’s competitive balance in their fickle hands and turned this summer’s free-agency period into a three-ring circus, the Nuggets seem determined not to let Anthony do the same in Denver.
While their offer of a hefty contract extension proves the Nuggets hope Anthony will remain the face of the franchise for years to come, the team is prepared to trade Melo rather than let him walk as a free agent next summer, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
At a salary of $17 million, Anthony is committed to play for Denver during the upcoming season. But here’s the rub. Anthony can opt out of his contract next summer, and free agency might appear all the more tempting after seeing the league-wide groveling James has instigated.
As a proactive move, the Nuggets have quietly tried to secure the services of Anthony through 2015 before losers in the pursuit of this talent-laden class of free agents can begin dreaming of Melo.
It’s a fascination situation, and one Knicks GM Donnie Walsh is no doubt paying rapt attention to, especially considering the flurry of reports that point to Chicago or Miami being more likely destinations for James and Bosh. And what could be a better photo opportunity than having Isiah Thomas gatecrash Anthony’s introductory press conference, in order to whisper some inappropriate advice?
Don’t the Knicks need to have someone of value on their roster in order to trade for him? I guess they can trade whomever they draft, plus that guy with the European name, but would that be enough for ‘Melo?
The Nuggets are only offering a 3 year deal to Melo? Why would he sign a 3 year extension at $65 mil, when he can command more years worth more total money on the open market?
probably not, but it’s pretty tough to get equal value in a situation like this. Denver’s alternative, if they can’t find an acceptable trading partner is to lose Anthony and receive nothing in return in a year’s time. If NY’s got little chance of signing LBJ, I’d by far prefer Walsh and D’ohlan dedicated their energies towards an Anthony trade than either a) overpay for the 4th or 5th most attractive free agent option or b) overpay for an elderly Dirk or Paul Pierce.
You don’t often see 3-way trades in the NBA (mostly because Theo Epstein is a GM in a different sport) but maybe the Knicks could find a trade partner that would give them someone that Denver covets in return for Anthony. The complexity might make Walsh’s head hurt, though.
Best way to get Melo is to wait out the slo-mo train wreck that ensues after he re-ups, then realizes that the Nuggets aren’t going to do anything else with the roster. Nene has actually already reached his potential, Billups can’t carry the load any more, and K-Mart is probably useless at this point (I think he had knee removal surgery today). Fucking JR Smith becomes their second option, and the season goes to hell. He’ll pout for half a season, Karl will be fired, and then he’ll probably demand a trade.
I’m writing this of course in the superstitious hope that my prediction can be a self-defeating prophesy…
I THINK HE SHOULD LOOK TO GO THE ANOTHER TEAM. HIS TEAM IS TO OLD HIS BEST HELP IS BILLIPS WHO’S ON HIS WAY OUT AND IT NO WAY THEY CAN COMPEATE WITH LA OR ANY OTHER POWER TEAM IN THE WEST WITH 1/2 OF A TEAM. AND THE OTHER HALF HURT.