Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: 10 Reasons Denver Should Trade Anthony To Knicks
Right now, the Carmelo Anthony rumor mill is exploding.
Recent reports have Melo headed to the New Jersey Nets in a three-team deal also involving the Pistons.
The deal in question may be completed as early as the end of this week, bringing Melo's dream of playing for the New York Knicks to a close.
In light of the immanency of this deal, the urgency within the Knicks organization has increased. All along it has seemed as if New York, specifically 7th Avenue and 32nd Street, was Anthony's eventual destination.
Now for the first time, it seems that there is a legitimate possibility that the Nuggets are sending Melo elsewhere.
Here is a look at the top ten reasons of why Denver should call off the three-team deal that is in place and send Anthony to the Knicks.
No. 10: Sending Melo to The Knicks Puts an End to Denver's Stress
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The Carmelo Anthony saga began almost eight months ago and it's time that a resolution is reached.
The Nuggets cannot like being under this much daily pressure and sending Carmelo to New York puts an end to the stress that new General Manager Masai Ujiri and the rest of Denver organization are burdened with.
Also, by sending Melo to New York, George Karl and his players can start focusing on the actual game of basketball as opposed to the business side of it.
The Nuggets do no want this to drag on any longer.
So why not end the burden that is on their organization's shoulders and start anew?
If Denver trades Melo to the Nets, they are not putting an immediate end to their Carmelo troubles. They will be faced with endless scrutiny and questions of why they didn't send Melo to his preferred destination, among other things.
Trading Anthony to the Knicks puts an instant end to the Carmelo Anthony saga for the Nuggets whereas trading him to the Nets allows the burden to linger.
No. 9: Trading Anthony To the Knicks Is Simpler Than Trading Him To the Nets
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If the Nuggets have a deal in place to send Carmelo to New York, then there will be no impending mystery.
The potential deal with the Nets, on the other hand, brings about the question of whether or not Anthony will sign an extension with them.
So not only do the Nuggets have to stress about getting adequate value from the Nets in return for Anthony, but then they have to worry about if Anthony will agree to sign an extension with New Jersey.
New Jersey will not trade for Anthony without a guarantee that he will sign an extension with them.
This means Anthony can put any deal the Nuggets strike with the Nets to dead if he refuses to ink an extension.
Denver should avoid the hassle of putting a trade together with the Nets because their efforts can prove to be fruitless, while trading Anthony to New York will prove to be anything but.
No. 8: The Knicks Are Willing to Take on Al Harrington's Contract
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If the Nuggets trade Carmelo Anthony, they desire to include Al Harrington's contract in the same deal.
The current deal in place with the Nets and Pistons does not include Harrington, but a potential deal with the Knicks can.
Despite efforts to get New Jersey to take on Harrington's contract, he is still not a part of the deal. The Knicks would probably be more flexible on this than the Nets.
The Knicks know the instant offense that Harrington provides and should they have to give up one or more of their young assets in exchange for Anthony, he could prove to be very valuable to them.
Or, better yet, in exchange for the Nuggets accepting an offer comprised of less of the Knicks tangible assets, they would be willing to take on Harrington's contract.
And do not rule out Knicks' General Manager Donnie Walsh exhibiting his genius further by finding a third team to come in and take on Harrington.
Overall, there is a lot more flexibility on the Knicks part when it comes Harrington and his bolstered contract.
Yet another the thing the Nets lack.
No. 7: Trading Carmelo to New York Save's the Nuggets More Money
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Trading Carmelo to New York will relieve the Nuggets financial burden more so than if they were to send him to New Jersey.
The Knicks can offer multiple expiring contracts in Eddy Curry and Kelenna Azuibike plus are ready and willing to send the maximum of $3 million to Denver.
And if you combine the cash and the expiring contracts with the Knicks' willingness/ability to take on or find a new home for Harrington and his contract, then this should be a no brainer for Denver.
Reports have highlighted that saving money is most important to Denver in the long run, even more important than the level of assets they acquire.
However, the Knicks provide a solution to both.
Not only can the Knicks send instant financial relief to the Nuggets, but the assets they possess in Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Landry Fields are affordable and provide guaranteed production on the court.
No. 6: The Draft Picks the Knicks Can Offer Are More Valuable Than the Nets
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The players that the Knicks can include in their package to the Nuggets for Anthony aren't the only pieces that have been undervalued.
It is a known fact the Knicks cannot trade a draft pick of their own until 2014. However, there is a deal in place to send Anthony Randolph to the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 2011 first round draft pick.
Minnesota will most likely be a lottery team this season and that should make the Nuggets pretty happy.
The Nets, though, may play their way out of the lottery if they receive Anthony.
However, the 2014 draft pick the Knicks can pair with Minnesota's first rounder should not be overlooked.
The draft class this year is supposed to be very weak. There is no trace of any "John Wall type" hype surrounding the draft.
Barring Denver finding a Landry Field's like sleeper in the upcoming draft, the Nuggets would get more value out of the 2014 draft pick than this year's first round draft pick.
It would involve a little patience, but when trading your franchise's best player, hastiness is not an appreciated virtue.
The Nuggets should try and get the most out of the draft picks they receive for Anthony, and the draft picks the Knicks can put together stand to pay off more than the Nets.
No. 5: The Trade Package the Nets Have Put Together For Melo Is Overrated
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The main pieces of this potential trade that the Nuggets are receiving from New Jersey have been overestimated in value to say the least.
Nets guard Devin Harris, forward Derrick Favors and two first-round draft picks will be sent to the Nuggets as part of the deal.
Derrick Favors is known as the centerpiece of this deal.
When it became evident that Brook Lopez was off limits, the Nuggets immediately focused their attention on the rookie.
Favors is only averaging 6 points in 18 minutes per game this season, but he is thought to have an enormous potential as a versatile forward.
However, his numbers have not met the expectations that have been set for him.
Devin Harris, the second featured player of the deal, is averaging 16 points per game this season. For his career though, he has only averaged 13.2 points per game.
He is averaging seven assists per game to go with his 16 points, which are solid numbers. They become less impressive though knowing he plays over 30 minutes per game.
The other highlight of the potential deal is the two first rounders the Nuggets would receive. This draft class for 2011 has been deemed highly weak so the Nuggets are not likely to find any potential all-stars or rookie prodigies.
This poses the question: Why allow this deal to go through?
The Nuggets have got to be hesitant about giving up Anthony for this package.
Why should they gamble on the potential of Favors when the Knicks have a stand-out rookie in Landry Fields?
And this brings us to reason number four.
No. 4: The Knicks Trade Package For Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony Is Underrated
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Reports indicate that the Nuggets are not as impressed with the Knicks possible package for Anthony as they are with the Nets.
They aren't fooling anyone though.
These reports are more out of spite than anything. The Nuggets are not happy that Anthony wants out and sending him to his preferred destination is something they would like to avoid.
The value of the draft picks the Knicks can offer have been addressed, but combine them with the tangible assets the Knicks possess, and you quickly have a better package than that of New Jersey.
Wilson Chandler has emerged as one of the more reliable players in the NBA this season. He is averaging 17.5 points per game and there is buzz around the league that he has the potential to be just as automatic as Carmelo Anthony.
The Nets have no player to send to the Nuggets that has the potential to match Anthony's present value.
Furthermore, Knicks rookie Guard Landry Fields is a Rookie of the Year candidate, which is more than can be said for the Nets' Derrick Favors.
Fields is averaging 10.1 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He is a willing defender and has showed the entire league he should have been drafted in the first round.
Then we have the Knicks home-grown prodigy in forward Danilo Gallinari. He is averaging 15.3 points per game this season and remains one of the more lethal sharp shooters in the league.
Gallinari has been compared to Dirk Nowitzki and while some dismiss this comparison, they neglect to realize that Gallinari is only in his second full-season in the league.
He's also only twenty-two years old and has more potential to be a valuable piece to the Nuggets than does Derrick Favors.
With each passing day, the Knicks become more and more reluctant to relinquish any of this young talent. The Nuggets need to face reality and stop wasting time with the Nets before the Knicks take their offer off the table.
No. 3: The Nets Failure to Keep Carmelo Trade Talks With Denver Private
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New Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov wants to make sure current fans remain loyal to the team, as well as entice new fans to come into the fold.
Ergo the exaggerated publicity the Carmelo to Nets saga has generated.
Even if the Nets do not land Anthony, they succeed in gaining exposure through these trade talks. As long as fans and potential fans know the Nets are in the running to obtain Carmelo, the Nets remain relevant.
This is why so much information has been leaked to the media regarding possible Carmelo to New Jersey scenarios, and you can bet that most of the information has been leaked by the Nets' camp.
Getting Anthony will keep the Nets relevant, but on the off-chance they fail to do so, the Nets want to make sure they stay in the spotlight as long as possible to spike interest.
This excessive publicity the Carmelo to New Jersey talks have received has done nothing but cause more problems for the Nuggets.
Now that the general public knows everything that is going on behind the scenes, there is even more pressure on the Nuggets to move Anthony.
And in addition, if the Nuggets decide to send Anthony elsewhere, they may be criticized for failing to obtain the same amount of value talent-wise that the New Jersey package contains.
Nuggets officials should send a clear message to the New Jersey organization: Our hand will not be forced.
And they can do this by sending Carmelo to the Knicks, instead of the Nets.
No. 2: The Knicks Offer For Carmelo Will Not Be Available to Denver Forever
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The Knicks have made it abundantly clear that they are not going to panic about this Carmelo Anthony situation.
As noted previously, with each passing day the Knicks are becoming more reluctant to use any of their valuable assets to acquire Anthony.
Knicks' Head Coach Mike D'Antoni and General Manager Donnie Walsh do not want to part with Chandler, Fields, or Gallinari.
They would prefer to acquire Anthony via free agency this summer.
As of now, this does not seem the likely scenario and the Knicks understand this. However, that does not mean they are ready to mortgage their future to acquire Anthony.
And if Denver remains as stubborn as they are being in regards to dealing with the Knicks, the Knicks will retract any current or past offers that are still on the table.
The Knicks know that Melo wants to come to New York and they know that he has all the leverage in this situation. Don't be surprised if the Knicks put in a low ball offer knowing that Anthony has exerted his leverage.
All Anthony has to do is tell the Nuggets that he will not sign the extension for any team other than the Knicks, instantly killing any deal that Denver may have in place with New Jersey.
The Nuggets have everything to lose by waiting and continuing their charade with New Jersey. Anthony can at any time push them into a corner and force them to accept whatever the Knicks are currently offering.
And when Denver winds up having to accept the expiring contracts of Eddy Curry, Kelenna Azuibike and Roger Mason, and perhaps a first rounder or two from the Knicks in exchange for Anthony, they will have no one to blame but themselves.
No. 1: The Nuggets Can Assume the Victim Role and For Melo to Be the Villain
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And the number one reason why Denver should ship Carmelo off to New York instead of New Jersey is to save the integrity of their organization.
Put simply this means that the Nuggets need to ensure that they come off as the victims from this debacle while Anthony assumes the role of the villain.
If the Nuggets trade Anthony to the Knicks, they can say that they did everything they could, but that he backed them into a corner.
Denver can use the failed trade with the Nets to show the public that they could have made a trade they felt met Melo's market value, but that Anthony forced their hand.
They can become the Cleveland Cavaliers to their LeBron James, without actually becoming the Cavaliers.
Trading Melo to the Knicks instead of New Jersey allows them to acquire a number of valuable assets while having to assume zero responsibility for the entire situation.
If the Nuggets trade with the Nets turns out to be a royal bust, they will have nothing to fall back on. Any consequences of a trade with New York can be blamed on Carmelo.
Even if Denver is truly not interested in what the Knicks have to offer, trading Anthony to New York is the best possible scenario for the Nuggets' organization and their fans.
The Nuggets have the opportunity to save the integrity of their organization by trading Anthony to New York and assuming zero responsibility for everything that has transpired while still acquiring adequate value in return upon Carmelo's departure.
Or they could attempt to trade Anthony to New Jersey.
The choice is theirs.
