NBA Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Ready To Leave Denver Nuggets

Carmelo Anthony is still in a Denver Nuggets uniform, much to the chagrin of Carmelo Anthony. The All-Star forward is still refusing to sign the three-year, $65 million extension to stay in the Mile High City that has been on the table for several months. Statements Anthony made after the Nuggets season-opening victory over the Utah Jazz spoke volumes that Melo just doesn’t want to be in Denver.

"If I do nothing now, I'm never going to do anything. I feel like my time is now to make a decision if I want to leave or if I want to stay."

Carmelo has been trying to get traded all summer to either the Chicago Bulls or the New York Knicks. Both teams will be major players in the Carmelo Anthony Sweepstakes come July 2011 if Melo plays out the final year of his contract in Denver.

The Nuggets are taking a steadfast approach and are not going to let their franchise player walk away without a fight. Management is patiently waiting to see how well the Nuggets perform early in the year, in hopes that a successful season can persuade Anthony to return.

Management wants "to sit down and talk, but my thing is it's way beyond this year," Anthony told Yahoo! Sports. "It ain't got nothing to do with the new GM [Masai Ujiri], Josh [Kroenke, Nuggets team president], the players. For me, I feel it's a time for change.

Carmelo Anthony craves the glitz and glamour of a major NBA market and Denver just isn’t cutting it for him. It’s hard to be stuck in the Mountain Time Zone when he’s got an “Empire State of Mind” like Jay-Z’s hit single.

The whole issue is not that Carmelo Anthony is hesitant to sign the contract extension, but rather that he is trying to force his way out a year early. Eventually all of this drama will boil over and could end up with Melo getting his way. But if management continues to drag their feet, will Anthony shut it down? Not give any effort out on the court or start to be a headache in the locker room?

It’s evident that the only way Carmelo Anthony is in Denver come the 2011-2012 season is as a visitor on the opposing team that the Nuggets are playing. That being said, the Denver Nuggets will eventually have to attempt to get some compensation for Anthony instead of letting him opt out and leave the Nuggets high and dry with the cupboards bare.

All I can say now, Nuggets fans is just to enjoy the precious few games left on the Carmelo Anthony Denver Nuggets Farewell Tour.