Sources: Nets, Nuggets reach agreement; now it's up to Carmelo Anthony to say yes

Sources: Nets, Nuggets reach agreement; now it's up to Carmelo Anthony to say yes
Friday, February 18, 2011
LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2011, 12:27 PM
BY AL IANNAZZONE
THE RECORD
STAFF WRITER
After nearly six months of pursuing Carmelo Anthony, countless phone calls, text messages, trade proposals, counteroffers and acrimonious times the Nets are close to landing the four-time All-Star small forward – finally.

It's all up to Carmelo Anthony now.
The Nets and Nuggets have reached a tentative agreement on a deal involving Anthony, multiple NBA sources told The Record. The deal is pending Anthony agreeing to sign a three-year, $65 million contract extension.

If Anthony says yes, the Nets will get Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Sheldon Williams, Melvin Ely and Renaldo Balkman from the Nuggets. In turn, the Nets will send Devin Harris, Derrick Favors, Troy Murphy, Ben Uzoh and four first-round picks to Denver.

The Nets won’t do the trade unless Anthony agrees to the extension. They’re expected to meet with him during this All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles to try and convince him to join them.

Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, general manager Billy King, CEO Brett Yormark and part-owner Jay-Z are in Los Angeles and likely will meet with Anthony to try and sell him on the future of the franchise and the move to Brooklyn.

If Anthony rejects the Nets, the Knicks are expected to be the frontrunners to land him. The Nets then would pursue other deals, including one that would send Harris to Portland for Andre Miller, but would involve other players.

This agreement is tentative because some things still need to be worked out. One would be where Murphy and his expiring contract end up. The Nuggets want to trade him, perhaps to Cleveland, and may need a draft pick or two to entice teams to take Murphy, who has hardly played this season.

That’s one of the reasons the Nets are including four first-round picks to get Anthony. It’s the Nets' pick this year as well as the Lakers', which is protected 1-through-18, and Houston’s and Golden State’s next year. Both have varying degrees of protection so there is no guarantee the Nets would have used them next year either.

The Nets basically acquired these picks to put themselves in position to acquire a player of Anthony’s magnitude if he became available.

But the biggest thing this is contingent upon is Anthony agreeing to play in Newark for a little less than a season and a half – or less if there is a lockout next season. Anthony’s first choice is to play for New York, but the Nets will be in Brooklyn beginning the 2012-13 season. Anthony is from Brooklyn.

When they meet with him, the Nets likely will pitch him on their global reach with Prokhorov’s influence, and the fact they’re building a franchise around Anthony in his hometown.

Last month, Prokhorov pulled the Nets out of talks for Anthony when they were close to reaching an agreement on a three-team trade that included the Pistons. On Jan. 19, Prokhorov stopped the talks and cancelled a meeting with Anthony for the next day.

But the Nuggets called the Nets earlier this week and they re-engaged in conversations. The Nets also had the most to offer and were willing to give up assets and provide Denver some salary-cap and luxury-tax relief to get Anthony.

He is a marketable star with whom they can open Brooklyn and could help them attract Chris Paul. But everything is contingent upon Anthony say yes to Prokhorov and the Nets.


THIS IS AS SICKENING AS WAS THE JERK'S SOAP OPERA LAST JULY IN MIAMI !

112288

Who would want to take their talents to...Newark?

Any chance any of those players will get waived afterwards? Might be cheap pickin's for us...

bob



.

MELO seems like a DESPERATO.......worrying about the new CBA next year and the cash he may or may not lose if he does not sign next year. Hey MELO cannot have your cake and eat it too!

The only thing that makes logical sense from a terminology standpoint if he goes to Newark and in a year to Brooklyn is the term BUMMMM!!!!!!!!!!
112288

UPDATE

James Dolan meets with Carmelo Anthony late Thursday as Knicks look to stay alive in 'Melo hunt
BY FRANK ISOLA
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Originally Published:Friday, February 18th 2011, 4:19 PM
Updated: Friday, February 18th 2011, 4:51 PM

The Knicks are scheduled to hold a conference call with the Nuggets in an effort to come to terms on a deal for Carmelo Anthony.

New Carmelo rumors overshadow Knicks win
James Dolan met with Carmelo Anthony late Thursday in Los Angeles, The Daily News has learned, in what could be the first step in Anthony being traded to the Knicks.

Although the Nets and Nuggets have ageed on players that would be included in a proposed blockbuster trade, the Knicks and Nuggets are scheduled to hold a conference call on Friday afternoon, a high ranking Knicks official tells The News.

The four main players on the conference call will be Dolan, the Chairman of Madison Square Garden, as well as Knicks president Donnie Walsh. Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke and Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri will also be on the call.

The call indicates that the Knicks are definitely alive in their bid to acquire Anthony and that if both sides can agree on which players to trade a deal can be made.

The hold up is the Knicks reluctance to include Danilo Gallinari in the trade. The Nuggets want three starters, including Raymond Felton, a No. 1 pick and Eddy Curry's expiring contract.

The Knicks would get Anthony, Chauncey Billups plus other players to make the deal work under the salary cap guidelines, including Anthony Carter.

Anthony said Friday that he isn't aware of a meeting with Prokhorov. In all likelihood, Anthony is hoping that the Knicks and Nuggets can agree on a deal before he meets with Nets officials, including Mikhail Prokhorov, the team owner, as well as minority owner Jay-Z.


112288

I do not even begin to perceive Melo in the same light as the former Queen of the Cavs.

There will be a season next year perhaps shortened. Melo has made his desires known but is still playing hard and well for the Nuggets unlike one queen that QUIT in the playoff series.

Not even close

beat

So he goes to the Nets....yet they give away their SG and the PF of the future to get him?

Sounds like a take two steps forward, one step back kind of thing.

Years ago, Mike Gorman had the best comment I have heard about Melo - he said, I know he is great - but I wouldn't trade you a bag of golf balls for him.

I TOTALLY agree. Overrated by miles.

Carmelo has me totally confused, hopefully one of you guys can show me what I'm missing here. 1- Melo can and probably will opt out and be a free agent next year,
2- he wants to be a Knick, 3- he wants to win a championship, 4- there is no way that happens this year as a Knick or Nugget. I said all of that too say this, Why would he "demand" a trade that would in turn weaken the Knicks by causing them to give up some of their value players when he could just sign there next year and join a team that would be at full strength, what good would he do the Knicks if draft picks, Felton, Fields ,Galanari(sp?), or any other contributor has to go to Denver in trade. Also, if he and stoudamire are dreaming of their own big 3 with Chris Paul wouldn't it make sense to Melo (and Knick Mgmt) to keep those players and/or draft picks now to have them as potential bargaining chips to wrest Paul away from the Hornets. Basically what I'm saying is "Melo, whats the rush? and in pushing for a trade to the knicks, ostensibly to win a title, aren't you in effect cutting off your nose to spite your face". I hope you guys see my point and one of you can enlighten me on why Melo's tactics are brilliant and I'm the clueless one.

willjr wrote:Carmelo has me totally confused, hopefully one of you guys can show me what I'm missing here.

Despite the fact that I'm developing a trade hysteria rash, I'll give it a shot.

willjr wrote:1- Melo can and probably will opt out and be a free agent next year,

Yes, he can become a free agent and go the "Decision" route, but that's a huge financial gamble because the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) ends after this season, and there are likely to be major changes in the next CBA. No one knows until the CBA is signed, but the owners are looking for major, major concessions from the players. Odds are that a "max" contract extension Carmelo signs now will be worth a lot more than what he can get under the next CBA. I've heard numbers anywhere from $15 million to $50 million difference over a multi-year contract. Yes, he's still be making millions, but he (and his agent, and his family, and his entourage) don't want to leave that kind of money on the table. The simple fact is that he'll make a LOT more money by signing an extension and doing a trade now.

willjr wrote:2- he wants to be a Knick

Being a Knick is his first choice, but my understanding is that the main thing is being in New York. That's where he grew up, that's where his family is, and playing in New York is his dream. With the Nets moving to Brooklyn after next year, he's in New York. It's not the Knicks and Madison Square Garden, but really, the Knicks have been awful for years, and the Garden has history, but I heard it characterized recently as "a dump." The NY Nets in a new arena are an acceptable second option.

Having said that, there's a possibility that he's playing the Nets against the Knicks and might still wind up with the Knicks. There's a lot of people hyperventilating at the moment, but the deal isn't done yet.

willjr wrote:3- he wants to win a championship, 4- there is no way that happens this year as a Knick or Nugget.

From what I can tell, this is secondary to becoming the King of New York. It can wait a few years. He's still young and immortal, so there's years and years of title-taking to come.

willjr wrote:Why would he "demand" a trade that would in turn weaken the Knicks by causing them to give up some of their value players when he could just sign there next year and join a team that would be at full strength, what good would he do the Knicks if draft picks, Felton, Fields ,Galanari(sp?), or any other contributor has to go to Denver in trade. Also, if he and stoudamire are dreaming of their own big 3 with Chris Paul wouldn't it make sense to Melo (and Knick Mgmt) to keep those players and/or draft picks now to have them as potential bargaining chips to wrest Paul away from the Hornets.

One theory I've heard is that joining a somewhat decimated roster for either team would still leave enough there to be attractive to other stars who are unlucky enough to be free agents in 2012 or 2013. Carmelo can take all the riches now, but the poor sap Chris Paul can sign as a free agent for new CBA-limited dollars later on. With this theory, the talent needed to take them to a championship level will come with free agent signings, not trades or draft picks.

Outside

I would sign a term deal as long as the new CBA is for and see what changes or just max out and sign a long term deal worth $XXXXXXX ending at retirement.

112288

Thanks outside, for helping me see a different (and maybe Melo's) perspective. Even with all the valid points that you made it still seems to come down to selfishness (greed and money). The possible reduction of the "max contract" in the future cba and the scenario of best bud and wedding toaster Chris Paul in effect being told by Melo "I've got mine before the (Gravy)train left the station guess you're screwed by the new rules. If the owners get their way, and in the nba contract negotiations the owners always get their way, then there could very well be a hard cap and an nfl style "franchise player" designation to go along with a reduction in the max salary. If that does turn out to be the case then the knicks players and draft choice assets would definitely be of import in acquiring Paul or any other top level free agent. If the Hornets, for instance, can franchise a disgruntled Paul then the only way the Knicks or any other team could hope to acquire him would be through trade. I am still of the opinion that Melo is being greedy, selfish and shortsighted in this situation, but then again that is pretty much what I expect from the AAU/ONE AND DONE GENERATION NBA and collegiate player.