Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: 10 Reasons Teams Shouldn't Bite On Melo
Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors continue to swirl as the Denver Nuggets superstar could very well be on his way out of town.
The proposed mega-deal that would've sent Carmelo Anthony to New Jersey and a bunch of other pieces across the NBA has cooled somewhat but there are still rumors that it can happen, while the Knicks continue to lurk in the background and try to swing a deal for Anthony.
Either way, it seems like Anthony's days in Denver are numbered, but perhaps all this hubbub about a very good player isn't really worth it. Here are 10 reasons why teams should shy away from trading for 'Melo.
10. He's Struggled In The Playoffs
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Save for a playoff run a couple of years ago with Chauncey Billups, Anthony has not had much in the way of playoff success. Since he came into the league, Anthony has won two playoff series and advanced past the first round once, and both came in 2009. A lot of that is not on him, but it's hard not to think that perhaps he has this T-Mac type of vibe about him, although at least Anthony has won a playoff series.
9. Leon Rose Is Calling The Shots
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Rose, Anthony's agent, has been a big player in this proposed mega-deal, setting it up for Billups and Richard Hamilton to join him in New Jersey. It's not a problem now, but when an agent has that much say in a deal, it's a little worrying for other front offices that he could completely dictate trades involving Anthony.
8. He Needs Other Players Around Him
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Anthony is a very good player, perhaps one of the best in the NBA, no doubt about it. But from a team standpoint, he's achieved the most when he has complimentary pieces with him, and I'm not talking about Allen Iverson. He's been the most successful playing with Billups when the two can play off each other and Billups doesn't need to take a bunch of shots like Iverson did.
7. He Responds Well To A Veteran Coach
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Just like with Billups, Anthony took off when George Karl became the head coach in Denver and the Nuggets became a more balanced team. Anthony and Karl seem to have a good relationship and a veteran coach like an Avery Johnson or a Paul Silas would be needed to really connect with Anthony.
6. What It Will Take To Land Anthony
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Anthony is a special talent and there are a lot of teams in the league that would love to have him. But what will the teams trying to trade for him have to give up for him. The Nets would be giving up a bounty for Anthony, and if the trade doesn't work out, it could set the Nets back even further.
5. The Al Harrington Contract
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The latest wrench in the trade negotiations came when the Nuggets tried to have New Jersey take Al Harrington's four-year, $28 million contract off their hands. The extra money is a risky proposition to take on for Anthony, especially since the acquiring team would be on the hook for that money.
4. Trade Machine Chaos
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The current proposed deal hinges on two other teams and a host of other players. With Harrington now in play, that could mean involving another team and more players and contracts. Small things like that add up because then the bigger deal hinges on smaller deals to work, and if one of those smaller deals shuts down, the rest of the deal dies.
3. The Ever-Changing Denver Front Office
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The latest snag involving the Al Harrington contract seems to speak to a larger issue involving the Nuggets' front office. There were reports that the Knicks were confused as to what the Nuggets wanted in return, while the Nets were threatened with Carmelo going to the Knicks if they didn't play ball. The Nuggets seem to be making it up as they go along, and that should be scary to any other team.
2. Empire State Of Mind
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And what of the Knicks, who apparently are still in it, a lot more than they were a couple of weeks ago. Anthony has made it clear that he's very interested in being a Knick, and that he would like to go to New York. Any front office would have to be weary of that, plus be worried that they won't get their money's worth if Carmelo really doesn't want to be anywhere else but New York.
1. Carmelo's Contract
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It all comes down to whether or not Anthony will sign the contract extension that will make the trades go. Obviously if he doesn't sign the extension, any trade wouldn't make sense because the receiving team would only have Anthony guaranteed for a couple of months with his stated desire to be a Knick. So until any team has concrete proof that he will sign the extension, then no team should deal for Anthony.
