Attention, New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets! Your attention please! CBS Sports is reporting that the Denver Nuggets have finally come to the realization that they have to trade star forward Carmelo Anthony if he won’t sign a contract extension by the upcoming NBA trade deadline.
The Nuggets have all but decided to trade Anthony if he does not sign an extension with the team by the trade deadline, and Denver’s management team believes Anthony is fully prepared to play out the season and become a free agent, multiple sources told CBSSports.com. … if Anthony doesn’t agree to sign the three-year, $65 million extension by the Feb. 24 trade deadline, the wheels are all but certain to be put in motion to part ways with the three-time All-Star rather than lose him as a free agent and get nothing in return.
You have to wonder what took the Nuggets this long to realize Anthony was not coming back. But, now that they have the speculation about where he will end up should start again. The Knicks and Nets will be right at the forefront of that chatter.
Speculation is that Anthony would prefer the Knicks. Reality, as it has been all along, is that the Nets have the best package to offer Denver. That would be one including 2010 No. 3 draft pick Derrick Favors, point guard Devin Harris and the expiring contract of Kris Humphries.
With the Knicks playing as well as they have, and Madison Square Garden being, well, Madison Square Garden, it seems Anthony would push to join the Knicks. Should be a fun couple of months of speculatiing, at least.