Report: Carmelo Anthony Wants Out of Denver 8/26/2010 9:38 PM ET By Brett Pollakoff When Carmelo Anthony didn't immediately jump at the chance to sign a three-year, $65 million contract extension with the Nuggets this summer, rumors began to spread that maybe he wasn't all that thrilled about staying in Denver beyond next season. Those rumors have now become fact, thanks to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports that says Anthony and his agent have told the team in no uncertain terms that he wants out. And at this point, even the "next season" part appears to be in serious jeopardy. According to the report, Anthony's representatives, William Wesley and Leon Rose, had told Nuggets' ownership that they'd be better off trading the team's best player weeks ago. Anthony echoed those sentiments in a meeting on Sunday, one that apparently went so poorly that it may have solidified his future in Denver -- or lack thereof. "This wasn't a productive, nor particularly pleasant, meeting and multiple sources said it could turn out to be the point of no return for Anthony and the organization. Sources insist it's no longer a matter of if the Nuggets trade Anthony, but when, where and for whom he's traded for," Wojnaroski wrote. Anthony effectively demanding to be dealt out of town comes at a strange time for the organization. Before head coach George Karl was forced out of action due to undergoing throat cancer treatment late last season, the Nuggets appeared to be the team best suited to challenge the Lakers in the Western Conference. Without Karl there, however, Denver limped to the regular season finish line, and the club was unceremoniously bounced out of the playoffs in the first round at the hands of the Utah Jazz. Now, after parting ways with former Executive of the Year Mark Warkentien and just recently hiring former Raptors executive Masai Ujiri, the team is faced with potentially being forced to completely rebuild the franchise if they end up trading Anthony for nothing more than young talent and draft picks. It's very similar to what took place in Phoenix this offseason, with Steve Kerr and David Griffin resigning after Kerr and Suns owner Robert Sarver couldn't come to an agreement on a new contract. The Suns were left without any tenured front office leadership to guide them through the tricky Amar'e Stoudemire free agency period, and once Amar'e left for NYC and the max contract that he deserved, the team that finished last season just two games from the Finals was left with a former agent in Lon Babby scrambling to replace Stoudemire with the likes of Hedo Turkoglu, Josh Childress, and Hakim Warrick. With untested front office leadership in Denver, there's no telling how this will turn out for the Nuggets. Anthony reportedly gave the team a short list of his preferred destinations, which included the Nets, Clippers, Warriors, Rockets, and Bobcats -- all teams that have some combination of young pieces and picks that the Nuggets might convince themselves is enough in return for Anthony. But in all reality, it won't be. And a team that was seemingly on the rise to the level of legitimate contender a season ago might start this next campaign in a significantly worse position. http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/08/26/report-carmelo-anthony-wants-out-of-denver/
Wow, first time I've heard that. I can understand that, BUT... There is no way that MELO is using anyone as leverage....if he is, it is because the Nuggets told him to. Why would he want to weaken the team even more that he would be going to?
If it wasn't for the threat of Melo leaving the Nuggets (for NY) in free agency there would be no trade talks. Agreeing to an extend and trade is his leverage to land in a preferred destination.
Fairest trade: Melo/JR/Billups to Houston for Brooks/Kev. Martin/J. Hill/Battier/Jeffries + NYK's 2012 #1 + $3 million. Denv saves $21 mill. Via Bill Simmons... What do you guys think if that were to happen?
I don't think the Rockets are going to add $21 million even if it gets them Melo. Hollinger's proposal seems more plausible.
Yeah I agree, I just don't see any chance of the Rockets taking all 3 of those guys back. Two for sure I could see, but I don't think three. Just hope we somehow get Melo
if i was denver, i stay pat. force melo to sweat it out. if he is going to whine and suck it up in denver, that'll ruin his reputation. wait for the best offer. if there is no good offer, let him walk. he won't get the max money that he wanted. with the new agreement, he gets less. this is the first time i have seen someone who wants to leave a pretty damn good team for a potentially worst team (clips, nets, bobcats, except us of course). again, winning is not his first priority. NY/LA - fame and entertainment bobcats - MJ brand houston? - chinese entertainment? TVB/ATV/shanghai entertainment? houston's wack ass rap scene? no tax so more money?
I agree. But if I were a multi-millionaire NBA superstar, that's not nearly hot enough to dictate where I want to live and play ball.
I don't know. No one really knows. Only he does. We'll see what his motivations truly are after a trade has been made (assuming he signs an extension). Until then, I don't think any one has the right to judge him.
Well if its all for the Wifey? Cant really hold it against him. Except when he divorces her or her him and then he is still a Clipper or Net. Then what?
mark kiszla Kiszla: Carmelo Anthony divorce best for Nuggets By Mark Kiszla A serious problem the Nuggets will encounter in trading Carmelo Anthony has been revealed in how Melo is spending his summer vacation. While Team USA headed to the world basketball championships in Turkey, Anthony has set his sights on China to film a movie. The task of receiving anywhere near market value for Anthony in trade only figures to be more difficult with a growing perception the 6-foot-8 Denver forward is more interested in winning an Oscar than an NBA title. As a league executive told me: Anthony used to bleed basketball. But if you opened him up now and looked inside, what could be found closest to the player's heart? A love of the game? Or the desire to be a Hollywood star? As teams from New Jersey to Los Angeles respond to not-so- subtle hints from the Nuggets that the trade market for Anthony is open for bidding, it's time to ask where the cracks in the relationship between Denver and its star scorer began. Signs point to last summer, when Anthony switched representation for his business interests to Creative Artists Agency, whose more famous clients have included Derek Jeter and Julia Roberts. It should be noted that LaLa Vazquez, a former MTV personality and Anthony's wife, also joined CAA as part of the deal. In recent months, as the Nuggets got bounced from the NBA playoffs during the first round, Anthony made a plea for needing more help on the team and franchise management grew increasingly frustrated by the forward's stubborn refusal to sign a $65 million contract extension, team officials have privately cursed Vazquez's influence. Days before Josh Kroenke, who has taken the ownership reins of the Nuggets from his father, met with Anthony last weekend, team officials held serious strategic discussions on ways to unload their 26-year-old forward, who has averaged 24.7 points in seven NBA seasons. As early as June, when LeBron James had league executives groveling at his feet, Denver began preparing for the possibility of trading Anthony rather than exposing itself to the risk of losing him for nothing as a free agent in 2011. As Anthony has undoubtedly discovered, when the negotiations get tough, Stan Kroenke doesn't blink. History suggests he would make Melo squirm rather than make life easy on an employee regarded as disloyal. Fair or not, new questions regarding the priorities in Anthony's life will not help Denver move a player who can opt out of his contract after this season with the added stress of a league-wide labor dispute looming. While it's nice to dream of the Nuggets acquiring a young player such as New Jersey center Brook Lopez or Los Angeles Clippers power forward Blake Griffin in a package deal, squabbling between Anthony and team management only figures to drive down any bargaining power Denver might have in trade negotiations. An amicable separation would likely benefit the Nuggets far more than an ugly divorce. As soon as Masai Ujiri settles in his chair as the team's new general manager, it will be a hot seat. How many pressure-packed chores can one man handle? Within 12 months, the Nuggets as we know could well be unrecognizable. Anthony. Gone. George Karl. Gone. Chauncey Billups. Gone. Kenyon Martin. Gone. J.R Smith. Gone. Virtually every key figure of a team that advanced to the Western Conference finals in 2009 will no longer be around when the dust settles from a major shakeup of the Nuggets, predicted a league executive who has kept close tabs on the increasingly volatile situation in Denver. It's beginning to look as if rebuilding the team could be a far bigger, messier task than finding a trade partner to take Anthony. This might be a scrape-off project. Mark Kiszla: 303-954-1053 or mkiszla@denverpost.com Read more: Kiszla: Carmelo Anthony divorce best for Nuggets - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/sports/ci_15908111#ixzz0xmxElXet
All signs point to evrything lining up for the two franchises Houston and Denver the most in the most makeable and logical deals. I think this is the easiest deal to do. Its really up to if the two GMs are smart enouhg to figure out two teams. They both have interchangeable parts that fit each perfectly and most workable in every sense of the money and assets. Everything can be worked out without a 3rd team. Every goal can be accompplished on both sides. Melo wanting to come here and gets his extension. They want a good deal in a trade back for him and would get it with us. Everything lines up perfectly. Of course except for if they could work it out and alot of different agendas involved. This looks like a done deal for the Rockets as far as it being makeable if both sides want the best fit and easiest.
the rockets would do this because there is a team option on billups next offseason and smith comes off th books.
