By: Stephen Patterson
While Carmelo Anthony is making it seem like he actually wants to remain with the Nuggets and is content with his situation, sources have said that the proposed four team mega-deal that would've sent Melo to the New Jersey Nets is more accurately described as "dormant" than "dead". And while he may not necessarily be moved in that deal, I feel it's highly unlikely he will be in a Nuggets uniform past the February trade deadline without a signed extension.
After watching the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors lose their respective franchise players during the offseason for basically nothing, I don't think the Nuggets have any interest in suffering the same fate next summer if Melo decides to leave via free agency. While it's highly unlikely Denver will receive equal value in any move made for Anthony, there are plenty of interesting options the Nuggets should definitely investigate.
Most of you have already seen the potential deal involving the Nets, Bobcats, Jazz, and Nuggets (if not, click here for Tyler's post on it), so I won't cover it in this list. These deals were made with the help of ESPN's NBA Trade Machine and have either been discussed, rumored, or would work for both teams involved and could potentially happen, although most probably won't occur due to Anthony's preferred destinations. Keep in mind almost all of these potential deals would also likely include at least one, and in some cases, several draft picks going to the Nuggets.
Potential Deal 1: Denver receives Eddy Curry, Danilo Gallinari, and Wilson Chandler while New York receives Carmelo Anthony.
Eddy Curry has arguably been one of the biggest disappointments in the NBA over the past decade (including Darko Milicic's entire career, Yao Ming's bone density, Kwame Brown being drafted first overall), and would only be accepted by the Nuggets because of his expiring $11.3 million contract. It's likely Curry might not even play for Denver, as he has already managed to injure himself in training camp, and will miss 4-6 weeks as a result. That's not even mentioning the fact he has played in fewer games than Greg Oden since Oden was drafted. With the Nuggets' abundance of solid front court players, they may choose not to punish their fans by making them watch Curry play. Chandler and Gallinari are both pretty decent players and would likely receive a fair amount of playing time with the Nuggets, but wouldn't come close to replacing Anthony's production.
The Knicks are high on the list of preferred destinations that Anthony would like to land with, and New York would likely move everything short of Amare and MSG to make the deal happen. Once LeBron James and other top free agents passed on the chance to join the Knicks, the team set their eyes on acquiring Carmelo Anthony and Tony Parker to form their own Big Three to compete in an increasingly competitive Eastern Conference. Any move they make with Denver would certainly include their first round draft pick this year. That pick could potentially belong to the Rockets, as they have the option to switch first round picks with the Knicks this season as part of the Tracy McGrady deal back in February.
Potential Deal 2: Denver receives Vince Carter, Jameer Nelson, and Brandon Bass while Orlando receives Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups.
This trade would likely be the best case scenario for the Nuggets if Carmelo does indeed get traded. There have been reports that the Magic are willing to part with anyone other than Dwight Howard to make a deal happen, but they have insisted that Billups be included in any scenario. Nelson would be a solid replacement for Billups at point for the Nuggets if they wanted to go that route, and while he doesn't have the experience of Billups, he also doesn't have the mileage on his body.
Vince Carter has always been an electrifying, and sometimes unsatisfying player throughout his career and would instantly become ticket and jersey seller for the Nuggets, although he certainly wouldn't fully replace Anthony's presence in Denver. His contract has a team option at the end of the season, and they could likely get him to stick around at a steep discount from the $17.5 million is scheduled to make this year. Bass has shown signs of being a good player, but has never really received the playing time to truly show off his skill set. He would probably earn more minutes with the Nuggets than in Orlando.
The Magic have had an in-state war of words with the Miami Heat ever since they formed their mega team over the summer with the acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and would love the chance to make a move that rivals theirs. Pairing Anthony and Howard would instantly give the Magic one of the top duos in the league, and with Billups' extensive playoff experience, would instantly put them on par with the Heat. J.J. Redick is ready to step up into the starting role and with all of those offensive threats surrounding him, he would become an even more deadly shooter from downtown.
Potential Deal 3: Denver receives Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young while Philadelphia receives Carmelo Anthony.
This trade would land Denver with a pair of versatile wing players that would likely replace most of Carmelo's on-court production, but probably wouldn't do much with the fan base. While it is one of the better offers the Nuggets could receive for Anthony, neither player will sellout arenas on a nightly basis. With J.R. Smith reportedly falling out of favor more and more with every passing day, both would likely start for the Nuggets and keep them in playoff contention.
Philadelphia has been in need of a superstar to replace the presence of Allen Iverson since they traded him to Denver when both parties mutually agreed it was time to part. Maybe the two teams can consummate another blockbuster deal, although this would be much more beneficial to both franchises than the previously mentioned trade. Anthony would instantly be a fan favorite with the Sixers fan-base, and with young players like Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday on the team, they would have a fair chance at convincing him to sign an extension.
Other potential, but less likely moves:
Denver receives Joakim Noah, Luol Deng, and Taj Gibson while Chicago receives Carmelo Anthony.
Unlikely to happen because of the Bulls' unwillingness to part with Noah, which is understandable because they would have a gaping hole at center if they made this move. According to the Trade Machine, it would decrease both teams win totals, with the Bulls dropping by nine and the Nuggets by two (although that number would likely be slightly higher).
Denver receives Kevin Martin and Shane Battier while Houston receives Carmelo Anthony.
This trade would land the Nuggets with two solid players, but I can't imagine them moving Anthony to another Western Conference team unless they are absolutely blown away by the offer. If the Knicks completely bomb, and the Rockets include the first round draft pick they could potentially swap with New York, there is a better chance of a deal occurring.
Denver receives Monta Ellis and Vladimir Radmanovic while Golden State receives Carmelo Anthony.
