As we approach the NBA trade deadline, the rumors are starting to come a little bit more into focus. Carmelo Anthony is still the biggest name out there and the Knicks seem to have the inside track at acquiring him. According to Alan Hahn at Newsday, the Knicks are still the overwhelming favorites to land Carmelo. He will probably end up with the Knicks, and the other teams that pursued Carmelo at other points throughout the year, including the Nets.
Alan Hahn of Newsday reports that the parameters of an Anthony trade "have been set," and the only thing holding it up is what happens once more players are involved. The Knicks have committed to trading either Danilo Gallinari or Wilson Chandler, and a proposed Raymond Felton-Chauncey Billups swap is not a dealbreaker either, but the Nuggets continue to ask for more pieces. Hahn describes the Nuggets' philosophy as coming "from the pages of the children's classic, 'If You Give A Mouse A Cookie.'"
So if not the Knicks, then who? Hahn reports that the Nets remain out of the picture after announcing as much last month, and the Rockets, who were considering making a move around Yao Ming's expiring contract, are also out because Anthony does not want to sign an extension there. The Lakers, who were rumored to have offered Andrew Bynum for Anthony, are out too, though truthfully, they were never really in. That leaves one darkhorse, according to Hahn.
If I had to bet on it, I would put money on Carmelo Anthony being a Knick on February 25th. The Knicks will likely come to the realization that two players who play the same position as the one they are acquiring (including one that is a free agent after this year) and a point guard who can likely be replaced with the cap space from cutting Billups loose would create, is not a huge package to pay. I'm guessing they reach that conclusion as well.