Carmelo Anthony Says, 'I'm Here Today,' but Is He Gone From Denver Tomorrow?
The Denver Nuggets media day came at a feasibly uncomfortable time for Carmelo Anthony, who is still a part of the team, at least for today.
As the team suited up in the jerseys, J.R. Smith was excited and tweeted a photo of Melo and said, “He back! http://plixi.com/p/47487637.”
Melo went up to the podium in the Pepsi Center and answered a reported 11 questions, nine of which were about trade possibilities.
Anthony told reporters, “I’m here today. Whatever the future holds, it holds. I'm leaving my options open right now.”
Not exactly the most encouraging, assuring or comforting words for die-hard Denverites that still remain grasping on the thread of a chance that Melo will remain with the Nuggets for at least the next few seasons.
Anthony continued, "I've never said I wanted to be traded. I never once said anything about trade talk. At the end of the season, I'll sit down with my team (agents), I'll sit down with the Nuggets, and we'll talk about it. This has been a long summer. I'm just excited to get back to the court.”
But Denver cannot afford to let this debacle filled with “sources” that are “close” to the “situation” and numerous high-profile journalists rehashing the same story week after week, they have to move Melo before the trade deadline to ensure they don’t come up empty handed. (Better yet, move him before the season starts and avoid the season-long distraction.
Then, last weekend it seemed a deal may be made. But that was nixed today by the Nuggets (smartly) in part because they would be taking on some $9.6 million more than they paid this season, for an inferior team and product.
Derrick Favors may just be the next KG (Kevin Garnett) or Timmy (Tim Duncan) as the Nets’ Avery Johnson advertised, but no one can really say for sure until he steps foot on the NBA hardwood—a massive step up in competition from the NCAA.
Andrei Kirilenko would have been a salary dump ($17 million in 2011) and the Nuggets could have had lots of money to play with next summer. And the two first round picks are much needed, but at least one can be found from numerous other teams.
What the Nuggets want is a young player, a baller that has some experience (preferably with a low salary) and future picks. Of course, if the salary is low, another player will have to be thrown in, making the possibility of multiple teams the most likely way Melo gets moved.
Now, the Nuggets are inquiring about Golden State’s Stephen Curry. Curry is a young, quick, agile player that’s especially skilled at shooting. In his rookie year last season, Curry averaged 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game in 36 minutes.
Yes, Stephen Curry played point guard and the Nuggets already have Chauncey Billups and second year player Ty Lawson at that position, but it’s likely that head coach George Karl would team up Lawson and Curry off the bench to give the Nuggets an insanely athletic backup backcourt. (Karl loves running teams out of the gym, especially at altitude.)
But, Karl also said Monday that he didn’t want Anthony to leave (who would?) but the great George would have a lot of fun with Curry in Denver.
It would be an awesome move for the Nuggets as long as they got at least one, preferably two first round picks as well.
The other “new” proposed deal that’s alive once again (it was supposedly out there weeks ago) is Carmelo Anthony for the 76ers’ Andre Iguodala.
According to Stephen A. Smith, the Denver Nuggets “badly want Andre Iguodala.”
“A well-connected league source said the Sixers have been speaking with the Nuggets about potential trade scenarios and that Denver is interested because they badly want Andre Iguodala.”
But, in a recent update from NBC Sports, Anthony’s agents have told the Sixers that he would not sign the extension, meaning this deal will not happen.
Melo is still holding out hopes for the Knicks, and there’s absolutely no way the Nuggets should make that trade unless it is a last-case scenario because they simply don’t have what Denver wants or needs.
So, as Monday becomes Tuesday, Carmelo Anthony is still a part of the Denver Nuggets, but that could change at any minute.
The final nail in the coffin that may be the telling reality that a deal is imminent came when Denver Post Nuggets beat reporter Benjamin Hochman tweeted that, “source confirmed to me what yahoo had --2day every Nugget but Melo was part of filming of promotional shots for the TV games.”
So while every other Nuggets player was getting ready to try to fill the Pepsi Center seats with their adds, Melo was busy trying to avoid looking like the bad guy that wants a trade.
For the future of the Nuggets sake, hopefully they can land a deal that’s truly worthwhile. And the sooner the better because they will likely get more in return now rather than when teams know they have to move him in February (trade deadline). Then, the Nuggets front office (Masai Ujiri, Brent Bearup and Josh Kroenke) can focus on moving other players and working on getting a strong team on the court as soon as possible.
No one knows for sure all the players/deals they’ve been offered, it’s now up to them to get the best out of this situation as possible.
It was great to have you Melo, thank you for all you’ve done for basketball in Denver in the 21st century. But, the time has come for both parties to move on, and even with today’s show of good will, Anthony will likely be out of Denver before the season starts in late October.
Rich Kurtzman is the Denver Nuggets and Denver Broncos Featured Columnist for bleacherreport.com, the CSU Rams and Fort Collins Beer Bars Examiner and the Colorado/Utah Regional Correspondent for stadiumjourney.com.
