NBA Trade Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Will Be a New Jersey Net in 2011
By this point in time, it is evident casual to avid NBA followers are anxious to know the conclusion of the "Carmelo Anthony Saga;" and they have every right. The fans have heard, on more than one occasion, deals have been consummated but fell through at the last minute, Carmelo wavering on his stance of signing an extension or waiting until free agency, or his sole desire to play for the New York Knicks.
Despite all of this, I am here to suggest a logical prediction that by 3:00 PM Eastern Time on Feb. 24, 2011, Carmelo Anthony will be a New Jersey Net. How is this possible, you might ask? Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov pulled out of the talks, proclaiming from Newark to Moscow he has withdrawn from the Carmelo discussion, right? Yes this is true, but logically speaking, it makes total sense.
First off, we do not know for a fact that Carmelo Anthony would not play for New Jersey. Although it may not be his top choice, on occasions when asked if he would either sign an extension or meet with the team, he never completely shot down the idea, and indirectly said he would be interested in doing so. In a recent game Monday against the Nets, he told Nets beat writers he would've went to the meeting with the Nets owner and GM, and was looking forward to listening to Mr. Prokhorov. For all we as fans looking in from the outside know, Prokhorov's press conference held on a cold, still Newark evening could have been a move to show Denver they aren't afraid to leave the discussions, and that they are no longer going to allow themselves to be fleeced.
Secondly, the Nuggets are not interested in what the Knicks are offering. Mind you, in the opinion of a Nets fan, Wilson Chandler, Fields and a first-round draft choice are enticing because you are receiving two talented young players, but I am not a member of Denver's brain trust.
In addition, it has been reported that Denver is willing to stall until the deadline to get something done. Most likely, the Nuggets will try and restart talks with the Nets, trying to re-engage them into trying to acquire him. And best believe the Nets, the 15-35 Nets, are not out of these talks. There is no way you can be 15-35 and deny the opportunity to improve your team with an arguably top 10 player, who would help boost your brand once you move to Brooklyn next year. It just doesn't make sense.
There's no way Denver waits this out until free agency, mainly because a deal would be impossible due to Curry's contract expiring, and the Nuggets would most likely end up with nothing more than a trade exception and draft picks. I fully expect Masai Ujiri and Josh Kroenke to redial Nets GM Billy King's Blackberry, and the Nets will engage in discussions once again. But this time, King will be in control and he'll set the parameters of the deal, not Denver.
What New Jersey can offer surely outweighs any team in the league willing to trade for Carmelo, or any team Carmelo has showed interest in, and in closing, I ask you to consider this idea, as it is very plausible and cogent.
