Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: What Can the Knicks Do To Get Back Into 'Melo Mix?
The Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knick trade rumor is like the energizer bunny.
ย
It keeps going and going and going, but this situation doesn't involve any pink bunnies banging on a drum.
ย
The worst kept secret in the NBA is that โMelo wants to play for the New York Knicks. Problem is, the Denver Nuggets donโt like the offers the Knicks have put on the table.
ย
The Nuggets loved the New Jersey Nets offer centered around Derrick Favorsโbut โMelo doesnโt want to play there. The Nets donโt want to give up such a valuable assets unless they are guaranteed to get โMelo to sign an extension.
No can do.
Recently the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks have emerged as potential teams that could essentially rent Carmelo for the rest of this season.
ย
As this saga drags on, letโs take a look at what the Knicks can do to ensure โMelo ends up in orange and blue.
10. Beef Up Offer
1 of 10
The last offer for โMelo included Landry Fields, Wilson Chandler and a first-round draft pick.
ย
Does that sound like a fair deal for one of the best scorers in the game?
ย
Not even close.
ย
The Knicks have to breakdown and include Danilo Gallinari. It would be a big loss, but itโs necessary.
9. Remind ‘Melo of “The Toast”
2 of 10
In July Carmelo got married and the Hornets All Pro PG Chris Paul stood up and made a toast at his reception.
ย
According to multiple reports, Paul said that he will team up with โMelo and Amar'e to form their own big three in the Big Apple.
ย
Paul is a free agent in 2012 and that threesome would be scary.
It's a real possibility if 'Melo lands in New York.
Stop drooling Knicks fans, your getting it all over your Amar'e jersey.
8. Rip Off a Huge Win Streak
3 of 10
Nothing will make โMelo push the Nuggets hand more than winning.
ย
Letโs say the Knicks win the next seven games, โMelo sees this and forces the Nuggets hand by faking an injury or lashing out to the media.
Nuggets are at the mercy of 'Melo and he gets his way.
Boy oh boy are the top players in this league powerful.
7. Convince Studios to Shoot Movie in NYC With LaLa
4 of 10
Itโs no secret that his new wife has a lot of influence on himโjust like every other married man.
ย
LaLa wants to be a bigger celebrity and what would be better than letting her star in a movie thatโs located in the Big Apple?
ย
Maybe Spike has something up his sleeve for her?
She has already made it clear she wants to live in a bigger market than Denver, a movie for her would seal the deal.
6. Give Mark Warkentien More Power
5 of 10
The Knicks signed the Nuggets former vice president of basketball operations last week as a consultant.
He was always looked at as one of Carmeloโs favorite people in the Denver organization.
ย
Warkentien was named NBA executive of the year in 2008 after trading Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups and the Nuggets made it to the Western Conference Finals.
ย
Now his sole goal should be to use his cozy relationship with โMelo to the Knicks advantage.
ย
This signing went under the radar but in reality, is a huge step for the Knicks. Allow Warkentien to handle all negotiations with his former team and a deal will get done.
5. Unload Spare Parts
6 of 10
The Knicks can shed some payroll by getting rid of Ronny Turiaf and Anthony Randolph. Acquiring draft picks in return will be able to give Denver a better-looking deal.
ย
Remember, until the trade deadline, โMelo is unable to do anything himself. Itโs all up to the Denver front office.
4. Secretly Threaten Mark Cuban
7 of 10
Two Texas teams have the assets to make an offer to the Nuggets. Mark Cuban has publicly stated he would love to bring in a star player:
ย
"Yeah, in a heartbeat. Because then it's up to me to try to convince them to stay. If everybody wants to give off a great player, we're always going to try to be opportunistic.โ
ย
He is obviously referencing โMelo.
ย
If he is traded to the Mavs then Cuban has a few months to wine and dine him. Who knows what sort of tricks the billionaire has up his sleeve?
Dangerous developing scenario for the Knicks.
3. Prey for the Rockets to Suffer Big Losing Streak
8 of 10
The Rockets are loaded with appealing offers for the Nuggets.
The Rockets have Yao Mingโs $17M monster of an expiring contract to deal. Shane Battier is another expiring contract that is almost worth $8M.
ย
The Rockets also posses Luis Scolaโthe type of tough and gritty defender the Nuggets desperately need, and Kevin Martin.
ย
Martin would fit in perfectly for โMelo in the Nuggets high-powered offense.
ย
The Rockets could rent him and hope he falls in love with the Chocolate City.
ย
But if Houston goes on a nasty slide and fall out of contentionโno way they make the move.
2. Acquire New Player Denver Wants
9 of 10
What if the Knicks were able to land a guy like Chris Kaman, Reggie Evans or Stephen Jackson to sweeten the deal for the Nuggets?
It's obvious that the Nuggets want more and the Knicks need to do some wheeling and dealing.
G.M. Donnie Walsh needs to get creative with this. Unload Eddy Curry's expiring deal for an above average big man or a tough defender that Denver could really use right away.
The Nuggets don't want to go through complete rebuilding mode as Chancey Billups gets older by the day.
1. Hope The Nuggets Panic
10 of 10
As the Feb. 24th trade deadline inches closer and closer, the Nuggets are sweating more and more. โMelo has perfected the art of telling the media he wants out without saying those exact words.
ย
The Nuggets know that if they canโt get a deal done before the deadline, โMelo will go through the motions for the rest of the season and the team suffers yet another uninspiring first round playoff exit.
He will then become an unrestricted free agent with the ability to sign anywhere.
It sure wont be Denver.
The Nuggets would get "LeBron'ed" by 'Melo and be left with nothing for him. The entire city would be enraged at their rookie G.M. Masai Ujiri to the point where he would surely get axed.
No way it happens.
The Knicks could luck out with Denver settling on the offer they previously scoffed at.
