NBA: 10 Teams That Could Help the Los Angeles Lakers Trade for Carmelo Anthony
Word has recently come out that the Los Angeles Lakers are trying to acquire forward Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets.
If Anthony were to be traded to the Lakers, he would have to sign a contract extension, which he should. Anthony wants to play in a big market, and he and his wife have recently bought a home in Los Angeles.
Anthony will not come cheap though. The Nuggets reportedly want center Andrew Bynum along with other players in return for Anthony.
The Lakers are open to trading Bynum in a deal for Anthony, but they will need a third team to help complete the deal.
Here are 10 teams that could help the Los Angeles Lakers acquire Carmelo Anthony, with one possible trade involving each team.
10. Indiana Pacers
1 of 10
Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, Mike Dunleavy, Josh McRoberts
Pacers receive: Ron Artest, Al Harrington
In this deal, the Nuggets receive the player they want, Andrew Bynum, while also acquiring Dunleavy's and McRoberts' expiring contracts.
Artest and Harrington would return to the Pacers, where both have played previously in their careers.
9. Los Angeles Clippers
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, Al-Farouq Aminu
Clippers receive: Ron Artest
Aminu is a young player who can develop into a very serviceable pro.
The Clippers would get a defensive presence to play alongside Blake Griffin.
And Ron Artest would get to stay in Los Angeles, but not with the Lakers.
8. New Jersey Nets
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony, Jordan Farmar
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, Troy Murphy, Travis Outlaw
Nets receive: Ron Artest, Kenyon Martin
The Lakers would not only receive Anthony, but also Farmar, who came off the bench during their past two title runs.
Ron Artest, along with Kenyon Martin's expiring contract, would go to New Jersey, which Artest would love since they are about to move to Brooklyn.
The Nuggets receive Bynum as well as a solid small forward replacement in Travis Outlaw, and Troy Murphy's expiring contract.
7. Cleveland Cavaliers
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony, J.J. Hickson
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, Anderson Varejao
Cavaliers receive: Lamar Odom, Matt Barnes
The Lakers aren't keen on trading Odom as well as Bynum, but they would get a productive young player in Hickson.
Varejao would be shipped to the Nuggets, while the Cavs would get Lamar Odom and Matt Barnes in return. Odom would instantly become Cleveland's best player, and would be the first brick in the rebuilding process for the Cavaliers.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, Corey Brewer
Timberwolves receive: Ron Artest
The Nuggets get a good player in Brewer as well as Bynum for only Carmelo Anthony in this deal.
Also, Minnesota receives Artest to play alongside Kevin Love, giving them another defensive force.
5. Toronto Raptors
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony, Linas Kleiza
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, DeMar DeRozan
Raptors receive: Ron Artest, Shannon Brown
In this deal, the Lakers would have to absorb Kleiza's bad contract, which they would probably do in order to acquire Anthony.
The Nuggets get a young DeMar DeRozan along with Bynum, which would give Denver youth.
The Raptors get Artest as well as one of the best sixth man in the league, Shannon Brown.
4. Charlotte Bobcats
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony, Stephen Jackson
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, Gerald Wallace, Matt Barnes
Bobcats receive: Ron Artest and Kenyon Martin
Though Ron Artest has already said he doesn't want to be traded to the Bobcats, the Lakers should still try to negotiate with Charlotte.
The Lakers get Jackson to be their sixth man for the playoffs, while the Nuggets get two good players in Wallace and Barnes, along with Bynum.
The Bobcats get Artest and Kenyon Martin's expiring contract, giving them the capacity to sign a great free agent in the offseason.
3. Atlanta Hawks
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony, Jamal Crawford, Josh Powell
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, Mike Bibby, Matt Barnes
Hawks receive: Lamar Odom, Chauncey Billups
Though the Hawks are a playoff team, they have already reached their full potential. Thus, a change is needed in Atlanta.
Los Angeles receives the reigning Sixth Man of the Year in Jamal Crawford, along with former Laker Josh Powell.
The Nuggets get Bynum, point guard Mike Bibby, and Anthony's replacement in Matt Barnes.
Atlanta would get Lamar Odom, allowing Josh Smith to play power forward, as well as veteran point guard Chauncey Billups.
2. Golden State Warriors
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony, Andris Biedrins
Nuggets receive: Stephen Curry, Dan Gadzuric, Matt Barnes
Warriors receive: Andrew Bynum, Ty Lawson, Ron Artest
The Warriors have said that any player could be traded. This trade is the perfect example of that.
The Nuggets would get Stephen Curry instead of Andrew Bynum, as well as Barnes and Dan Gadzuric's expiring contract.
The Warriors would then receive Andrew Bynum, pushing David Lee to power forward, as well as young point guard Ty Lawson and Ron Artest.
The Lakers would receive Biedrins and his nine million dollar a year contract as well as Anthony.
1. Detroit Pistons
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Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony
Nuggets receive: Andrew Bynum, Richard Hamilton
Pistons receive: Matt Barnes, J.R. Smith
The Pistons are in desperate need of a change. In this deal, they would receive Barnes and J.R. Smith, who they would try to sign to an extension while making him the focal point of their offense.
The Nuggets would get Richard Hamilton as well as Bynum, which would reunite Hamilton with former Pistons teammate Billups.
Los Angeles would only receive Anthony, but really that's all they really want. The Lakers' combination of Bryant, Gasol, and Anthony would be the best "Big Three" in the NBA.
