Carmelo Anthony: Five Reasons The Nuggets Should Trade Anthony
Carmelo Anthony is one of the best players in the NBA.
Anthony has a great mid-range jump shot that has became one of the more improved albeit deadly aspects of his game during the course of his NBA career. Carmelo's expanded range, along with his size and speed that allows him to utilize his versatility to post up smaller players and drive past bigger players makes him one of the most seemingly valuable players in the NBA.
Although Anthony has a multitude of skills, he somehow has become one of the more underrated players in the league over the past few years.
With that being said, the Nuggets should still trade Carmelo Anthony.
This article will discuss five reasons why the Denver Nuggets should trade Carmelo Anthony before the start of the 2010-2011 NBA season.
Carmelo's Lack Of Desire to Stay In Denver
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A contract season usually leads to the most impressive of performances for an NBA player.
Smelling that big, guaranteed contract one good NBA season can bring, players usually put up career highs across the board in contract seasons.
Erick Dampier being the ultimate exemplification of what a contract year can do for your bank account.
Carmelo Anthony is already on the way to a maximum contract and his performance this season is not going to change his value across the league.
Anthony's quotes about the trade rumors circulating around his name, however, seem to dictate a strong lack of desire to stay in the city of Denver.
"There's been a lot of speculation, a lot of rumors going on this summer about where I'm going to end up, the Nuggets want to trade me, I want to be traded," Anthony said. "That's for my team and front office to discuss. I'm here to focus on basketball and training camp."
Most players, when trying to diffuse trade rumors, discuss their love and adoration for the loyal fanbase of the franchise they are currently contractually tied to; Carmelo chose to go the indifferent route.
"I'm here today," Anthony said. "Whatever the future holds, it holds."
If Anthony stars the season with the Nuggets, he will surely give concerted effort on the court to make the Nuggets a contender in the Western Conference.
But Anthony's deference shows a strong lack of desire and allegiance to the Nuggets' organization after a barrage of trade rumors and it would seem the logical move at this point is to get maximum value for Anthony before he walks away for nothing at the end of the 2010-2011 season.
Get Maximum Value While You Can
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If you offer a player a 3-year, $65 million extension and he declines, said player is making a message that his time with the franchise is done.
This is the perfect time to maximize on the value the Denver Nuggets can get for Carmelo Anthony.
At the trade deadline, teams are going to capitalize on the Nuggets' last vestige at recouping value for Carmelo Anthony's service.
Before the season starts, the list of potential suiters and the consequential asking price will be much higher.
Denver doesn't like the Nets' current offer as it would cost them money.
Denver doesn't like Utah's current offer as it would cost them money.
The Nuggets are also talking with the Philadelphia 76ers and possibly the New York Knicks about a deal for Carmelo.
See what deal makes the most sense from a financial and basketball standpoint and pull the trigger.
Carmelo isn't staying beyond this season; get value for Carmelo while you can.
The Nuggets' Bleak Future
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Bleak might be a little too strong of a term to use.
But the Nuggets are reaching the point where there supposed potential will never quite gel and culminate in anything substantive enough to warrant keeping the currently constructed roster together for an extended period of time.
J.R. Smith is still an erratic distraction - a $7 million one at that.
Chauncey Billups, who just turned 34, is making $13 million a year and seems to be more concerned with shooting pull-up 3 pointers than disturbing the ball at this point in his career.
Nene and Kenyon Martin seem to always miss games over the course of an 82 game season and aren't players that can consistently be relied upon due to their constant ailments.
Is this the team Carmelo Anthony needs to stay with if he wants to guarantee being with a winning franchise?
Other than Ty Lawson, the Nuggets' potential doesn't seem so impressive.
Time To Rebuild
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The Nuggets need to rebuild.
The Nuggets have $46 million invested in Kenyon Martin, Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony.
Not quite as impressive a trio as Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade and LeBron James.
If the Nuggets invest in a long-term deal for Carmelo Anthony, they will never have the cap flexibility to make enough maneuvers to make the team a viable championship threat.
Although getting rid of Anthony would be an immediate step back for the franchise, it may be time for the Nuggets to build through the draft, trim some of their gigantic contracts and work on establishing a new nucleus of players.
For as many games as the Nuggets have won since Carmelo has come to the franchise, they have only won two playoff series since Carmelo has been a Nugget.
George Karl may not be with the team after this season, the front office is in flux and Chauncey Billups may not be with the team beyond this season as well.
Carmelo's contract would absorb so much money, that the expectation level for Ty Lawson's development would be too high and the Nuggets would take a considerable drop in the Western Conference standings.
For the Nuggets, it's time to start from scratch.
Is Carmelo a Franchise Player?
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Carmelo Anthony produces amazing numbers and is one of the most gifted offensive players in the NBA.
For all of his individual accolades and the talent the Nuggets' organization has surrounded him with, Carmelo has only had one season in which his team made any sort of run in the playoffs.
Is Carmelo a franchise player?
The 2008 season saw the Nuggets win two rounds and give the Los Angeles Lakers a scare in the Western Conference playoffs.
Every other year: Carmelo Anthony has been Tracy McGrady status in regards to his playoff success.
LeBron took a team with Jamario Moon to a deep playoff run, Dwayne Wade took a team with Antoine Walker to a deep playoff run. Carmelo Anthony has had Chauncey Billups, Allen Iverson, Nene and Kenyon Martin on his team and only has a solid collection of 50-win regular seasons to place on his mantle.
The Nuggets' organization should realize Carmelo Anthony is truly not a franchise player and trade him.
