Not So Fast, NY: Carmelo Anthony's Best Shot at a Title May Be In L.A.

According to ESPN, Carmelo Anthony's days as a Denver Nugget are done, and the franchise has responded by saying they would seek to trade Anthony before they risk losing him for nothing in free agency.

Sources from ESPN reported Anthony would not accept the Nuggets' $65 million extension, and all signs seem to point towards Anthony joining Amar'e Stoudemire as a New York Knick.

The Knicks appear to be the No. 1 contender in the race for Anthony's services, and several of his friends have said Anthony would love playing in Madison Square Garden as the face of the franchise.

Anthony's wedding was held in the Big Apple, and he is probably homesick for the East Coast after spending his entire career in Colorado.

New York is a short jaunt from Anthony's native Baltimore, and the draw of playing around family and friends on a consistent basis, in the media mecca of the world, may be too much for Anthony to overcome.

Additionally, New Orleans Hornets' guard Chris Paul alluded to a possible super team pairing of their own to counter Miami's trio of Chris Bosh, LeBron James, and Dwyane Wade, while attending Anthony's wedding.

Considering Paul has said he was less than happy about his status in New Orleans, the time would appear ripe to see if a transaction involving all parties could be made, unless Anthony's future is still undecided.

New York is the obvious favorite in terms of attaining Anthony for the reasons mentioned above, but if his ultimate goal is to win a NBA championship, wouldn't his purpose be better served remaining out west?

The city so nice they named it twice would afford Anthony all of the fame and attention a superstar of his caliber could ever hope for, and he could also look forward to annually losing to the Miami Heat.

Pat Riley has created a monster by acquiring James and Bosh, and even though Miami and a New York team potentially featuring Anthony, Stoudemire, and Paul would have classic battles, Miami would win the majority of those contests.

History would be re-visited as The Knicks would be forced to relive the Michael Jordan era, where the presence of "His Airness" probably prevented New York from winning at least two championships.

I'm sure Anthony is anxious to anchor a team as formidable as Miami's, but why forfeit the chance to meet the Heat's super team on an annual basis on the game's greatest stage?

If Anthony is serious in his ambitions to be a NBA champion, why not join Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles?

I proposed a similar situation in an earlier article, and although it would be hard for the Lakers to strike a deal with Denver for Anthony, it's not impossible.

The Lakers are already $20 million over the salary cap, and they don't have the financial flexibility that New York does, but they may have the roster pieces to make a trade work.

The most attractive players on the Knicks roster would probably be Kelenna Azubuike, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Anthony Randolph.

The Knicks would not likely want to part with Gallinari, but if Denver demanded that he was part of a deal for Anthony, New York would not hesitate to send him to Colorado.

The Lakers could offer Denver Lamar Odom, newly signed rookies Derrick Caracter and Devin Ebanks, and the expiring contract of shooting guard Sasha Vujacic.

Of course salary cap restrictions would still play a major role in a sign and trade deal, but Lakers owner Jerry Buss has been known to eschew the salary cap when it's in the best interests of the franchise.

Los Angeles will be in a transitional period once the 2010-11 season ends, and if assistant coach Brian Shaw assumes the coaching reins from Phil Jackson as widely thought, then Anthony would be a great way to usher the Lakers into the future.

If Shaw is intent on continuing the tradition of the triangle offense, then Anthony would be a great fit, and if Shaw decides to go a different route, the possibility of Paul joining the Lakers may be an option as well.

Some observers feel the triangle would restrict Paul's game because he would not dominate the ball in the manner he has been used to throughout his career. However, I have no doubt Paul could flourish in the triangle.

Even if Paul were not an option, serving as a bridge between Bryant and the future of the Lakers franchise is not a bad thing, and the possibility to compete for championships would begin immediately.

The Lakers would be the favorites to win the championship for the next few seasons, and although this is only speculation, history has shown the Lakers have always made significant deals to remain relevant in title discussion.

When the opportunity has presented itself, the Lakers have made strategic deals which have helped shaped the course of the franchise.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant, and Pau Gasol are some of the players Los Angeles has managed to spirit away through trades, and with that type of history, acquiring Anthony doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility.

I will be the first to admit, the chances of the Lakers landing Anthony are slim, but it's hard to imagine general manager Mitch Kupchak and Buss would no at least explore all possible options to make it happen.

After all, the very future of the Lakers franchise could be at stake, and under those circumstances, Buss has always found a way to keep his team in the midst of NBA title relevance.

Anthony may only have one final shot to define his career, and if this is true, why not do it playing for one of the most successful franchises in NBA history?

New York may offer Anthony all of the glamour associated with the image of that city, but Los Angeles offers Anthony the same glamour, and an immediate opportunity to compete for championships as well.