NBA Trade Rumors 2011: Top 5 Questions Plaguing Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony continues to dominate the NBA's headlines.
The ongoing Anthony saga has dragged on for nearly eight months and now fans, players, coaches, and front offices alike are screaming for this conflict to reach a resolution.
The media has milked this situation. The Nets have cashed in on free publicity by remaining in the hunt for Melo. Knicks fans are panicking. Masai Ujiri and Anthony haven't slept in months. And Mark Cuban is still salivating in the corner.
Yet after all of this, we are barely any closer to knowing where Melo will suit up for the rest of the season and seasons to come.
Sure, New Jersey seems to be the likely destination for as of right now. But that was also true six months ago.
When will this finally end?
Well, the NBA trade deadline is February 24th. So barring the Nuggets deciding to trade Melo right before or on draft day, we will know soon enough.
Despite Anthony's willingness to discuss his situation with the media day in and day out, we know very little about what is actually going on inside that mind of his.
Here's a look at the top five questions that must be plaguing Carmelo Anthony at this moment.
No. 5: Can Denver Just Trade Me Already?
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Is Carmelo Anthony enjoying all the attention his eventual departure is receiving?
No.
He is not the least bit thrilled that this has dragged on as long as it has. If he could have had it his way, he would have began the season in New York orange and blue.
Carmelo is ready for this saga to come to a close and for Denver to finally find him a new home.
As a result of Anthony's ongoing conflict, he has recently been booed by the Nuggets home crowd. It's something he has been able to avoid thus far by saying all the right things publicly.
However, as anxious as Carmelo and the Denver organization are to see all of this drama come to a close, the fans are even more so.
The Nuggets faithful would like to know what direction their team is headed down. The constant uncertainty of not knowing whether or not they will get adequate value for Anthony has taken its toll on Denver's fans, as well as the Nuggets organization.
Anthony is beginning to feel the pressure more than ever as a result of these factors. He knows the fans and the Nuggets organization are anxious, and as much as he wants it end so he can move on, he wants Denver to be able to move on as well.
It also hasn't helped that Nuggets veteran guard Chauncey Billups has recently entered the trade talks. Billups has made it clear he wants to end his career in Denver and now Anthony may be the reason he does not get to do that.
Yes, Anthony is ready for all of this to be over. He is exhausted of the constant uncertainty as well.
Unfortunately, the only thing he can be certain of at this point is that he will continue to dominate the front page headlines.
No. 4: Will New Jersey Take a Hike Already?
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If Carmelo wanted to play for New Jersey he would have brought his talents to Newark already.
Recent reports reveal that Carmelo is not completely against the idea of signing an extension with the Nets, yet there has been no evidence from Anthony himself that he would like to play for New Jersey.
Yes, Anthony has remained polite during his interviews with the media when the topic of a potential New Jersey trade is breached. But he's also conducted himself in the same manner when discussing the Nuggets and how he is open to staying in Denver, yet we all know he wants to leave.
Anthony has said all the right things this season when the issue of where he will play next is brought up. However, behind the scenes we know that Anthony's first choice is the Knicks. And we also know that he is adverse to a meeting with Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov.
Publicly Anthony has allowed the Nets to believe that they are still in play to obtain him. Privately though, this is a different story because through Carmelo's back channels he has made it clear that he would rather not play for the Nets.
Despite all of this, the Nets continue to be the most aggressive team in pursuit of Anthony. New Jersey has been thought to have "locked up" a trade for Anthony two or three times already over the past few months.
The Nets are certainly keeping themselves relevant in Carmelo negotiations, making Anthony bite his nails in the process.
Sooner or later Carmelo is going to be left with only one option: publicly announce his refusal to play for New Jersey.
This is after he sends Amar'e Stoudemire a desperate text message begging the Knicks to strike a deal with Denver already.
No. 3: Is It True Both Dallas and Houston Have Nice Weather This Time Of Year?
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Keeping up with the Carmelo being adverse to playing for New Jersey theme, he would most definitely be more inclined to play the rest of the season out with the Mavericks or Rockets.
Denver is almost certainly going to move Carmelo before the NBA trade deadline, this much we know. We also know that the Nuggets are not thrilled with the idea of sending Melo to his preferred destination: New York.
So if Anthony vetoes a trade to the Nets, and the Nuggets are truly put off by the package the Knicks have on the table for him, the Mavericks and Rockets may become serious players in Carmelo game.
Mark Cuban would give his right arm, among other limbs of his to put Anthony in a Mavs jersey, even if only for the remainder of the season.
With the season-ending injury to Caron Butler, Dallas is in desperate need of an elite scorer of Anthony's caliber. On paper they do not have much to offer, but combine Denver's distaste with sending Carmelo to New York with Mark Cuban's ability to stay relevant in any trade rumor, and you have yourself a legitimate temporary destination for Anthony.
Don't sleep on the Rockets either if trade talks enter this side of spectrum.
Houston can offer major cap relief to Denver with the expiring contracts of Yao Ming, Shane Battier, Jared Jefferies, and Chuck Hayes, making them another possible destination for Carmelo.
Anthony wouldn't mind by any means having to finish the season off trying to contend for an NBA title with either of these teams. Although long shots, both teams remain a potential destination for the star forward.
Ultimately, Anthony would still be able to achieve his "ultimate dream" of playing for the Knicks. He would just have to risk accepting a substantial pay cut once the new collective bargaining agreement kicks in.
And currently, no one knows, including Carmelo himself, if he is willing to take that kind of a financial risk.
No. 2: Should I Be Ecstatic Or Concerned With The Knicks Current Losing Streak?
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Is Carmelo inclined to be happy that the Knicks have entered a rough stretch knowing that they may now be more aggressive in attempting to acquire him?
Yes and no.
Anthony wants to play for New York above any other team. The current struggles of the Knicks, most recently a 129-121 embarrassing home loss to the Phoenix Suns, does make a case for them to show more urgency in their pursuit of Anthony.
As much as Anthony wants to avoid signing an extension with New Jersey though, the Knicks recent troubles do not make him entirely happy.
The Knicks may be more apt to go after Anthony harder now, but he doesn't want to wind up on a team with a depleted roster. The Nuggets are already asking the world of the Knicks and for New York to be more aggressive means having to hand over the bulk of their young talent.
Carmelo would ultimately like to be acquired via trade by the Knicks without New York having to give up anyone of great importance.
Unlikely as that scenario seems, it is still a possibility. All Carmelo has to do is personally tell the Nuggets front office he will sign the extension with only the Knicks and no one else.
At that juncture, Denver, if they would like anything in return for Carmelo, will have to send Anthony to New York for whatever Donnie Walsh is offering.
However, until Anthony exerts his leverage over the Nuggets, this scenario is just Carmelo wanting to have his cake and eat it too.
No. 1: Am I The LeBron James Of The 2011 NBA Season?
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Is Carmelo the LeBron James of 2011?
No.
Carmelo will break the hearts of a city that has worshipped him during his seven years, just as LeBron did, but he is not in the same league as James.
Anthony has been upfront about his feelings all along. When he leaves for another team, there will be no shock-induced comas. It has been known for a while now that Anthony's days as a Nugget are numbered.
Denver fans, inspired by Cavaliers fans, may burn Anthony's jersey once he reaches his new home, but Carmelo is no LeBron.
The Nuggets fans have a right to be upset upon Anthony's departure, but if they resort to acts of extremism, such as the former, they cannot justify them.
All along, Anthony has kept in mind the well-being of the Denver organization and their fans, something LeBron did not do. I'm not knocking LeBron's choice to sign with the Miami Heat, but I am criticizing the way he did it.
You see, unlike LeBron, Anthony is allowing Denver the opportunity to try and acquire something in return for him.
And as unlikely as it may be, should Carmelo enter free agency, the Nuggets will not have to wait for a nationally televised show to find out if Anthony is signing elsewhere. They will have already known.
This is the most frequent conflict that is tearing apart Anthony's brain. If it wasn't, he would have already publicly acknowledged that he will sign an extension with only New York.
Anthony is truly concerned with how he is perceived in Denver and around the rest of the NBA, unlike LeBron. Anthony wants to keep the respect that he has worked so hard to gain over these last seven years.
Denver fans may be angry at the entire situation, but Anthony has no reason to fear becoming remembered as this season's LeBron.
After all, Anthony is saying his goodbyes before leaving Denver, while LeBron on the other hand, bolted from Cleveland and never looked back.
