After a report surfaced earlier yesterday saying the Knicks were taking the lead in the Carmelo Anthony race, NBA.com’s David Aldridge is here to say, don’t go there sister:
One source said that though that deal died, the Nets have “never been out of the mix” in discussions about Anthony, and that Denver was still trying to figure out a way to get either forward Andrei Kirienko from Utah, Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace or the 76ers’ Andre Iguodala in a package for Anthony. Kirilenko was part of the original four-team deal, and would have gone to Denver.
The source indicated that the talks between the teams have become less public in the last couple of weeks to allow new Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri time to get his team’s front office in order after the team did not renew the contracts of former GM Mark Warkentein and assistant GM Rex Chapman in August, and to take pressure off of the Nets players, like rookie forward Derrick Favors and point guard Devin Harris, who had been mentioned in potential deals.
Whether you want to see the trade happen or not, I just don’t see the Nets front office (and Mikhail Prokhorov) letting the Knicks waltz in and get this deal done when the Nets have the assets to get it done themselves. Meanwhile, I’m still shocked that the conversation isn’t focused more on how much Denver is demanding here, for a player who wants out.
