Nets Trying To Get Billups And RIP Along With Anthony

[Azsports77]

Actually if Carmelo was interested in a title he would have already been traded he obviously wants both a big pay day and a title sadly new york can't pay him what New Jersey can . Also New York is heavy on offense and they play very little defense so adding Carmela will not make them a title contender as many think it well. Carmelo's best bet is New Jersey where they have an owner who is so rich that he will have no problem getting the right pieces once he has at least one Star on the team. Also New Jersey can give him a nice fat contract and give Denver something back whereas New York really has nothing but crap and Denver will never settle for that so no matter what I think they will call Carmelo's bluff and send him to New Jersey because if he doesn't sign an extension he will lose a lot of money and as long as he has drawn this out there is no way he wants to lose that money its why this has gone on for so long . Sorry Knick fans but your are not getting Carmelo so you can stop dreaming already.

[andrewww]

So according to the main page story, Melo has pretty much screwed the Nuggets if hes only going to sign with the Knicks. They have no leverage at all

ive been saying this since day one. it's just that the national media dont like the knicks so they'll continue to speculate on him going to the nets. they were wrong about lebron and chicago, theyre going to be wrong again here.

[vincecarter4pres]

So according to the main page story, Melo has pretty much screwed the Nuggets if hes only going to sign with the Knicks. They have no leverage at all

ive been saying this since day one. it's just that the national media dont like the knicks so they'll continue to speculate on him going to the nets. they were wrong about lebron and chicago, theyre going to be wrong again here.

Kind of like how every Knick fan in the world was wrong about Lebron and Bosh?

[corona]

So according to the main page story, Melo has pretty much screwed the Nuggets if hes only going to sign with the Knicks. They have no leverage at all

they can not trade him to the knicks and force melo's hand.

for a guy that's been in meetings with the owners and thinks without a doubt there will be a lockout, i'm not convinced he's willing to test a new cba.

[J Smitty]

So according to the main page story, Melo has pretty much screwed the Nuggets if hes only going to sign with the Knicks. They have no leverage at all

According to the article posted right above your post, the Nuggets have all the leverage in the world, as they're the only team that can give Carmelo the financial security before the lockout. No one can deny Melo wants the extension. Even if it's not "for the money" as he says, he still wants the long term security before the lockout that is going to happen "without a doubt" in his mind. If that isn't leverage for the Nuggets, I don't know what is.

At the end of the day, Melo is going to sign the extension. The only way that happens in NY, is if the Nuggets decide to trade him there. Carmelo has no power in that. All they have to do is say no, and he is **** out of luck. Melo has the leverage of saying no to the Nets, but he doesn't have any leverage on where he can get his extension at.

It's always going to be a game of chicken on who cracks first...but it seems to me Melo is making it pretty damn clear every time he talks to the media about the CBA and potential lockout and such, that he wants his extension and security. The "worst case scenario" is looking like he'll just give in and sign the extension with Denver. They'd probably be happy with that...but if not, at least it gives them the ability to trade him pretty much anywhere.

[AmareNY]

THIRD time is a charm, Melo going to the Nets. Going to happen any day now. Fellow Knicks fan wake up and smell the coffee.

[bobcatsinfour]

CNNSI says the holdup is in the players involved in the deal:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/b ... ?eref=sihp

[Gallinari4three]

This is just getting entertaining.

Nugget Fans are so struck on the idea that Carmelo wants his money and security, yet he didn't your extension has he yet? In how long?

He hasn't even acknowledged that he'll sign it with the Nets. Even has gone to say "he hasn't thought about it." The fact that you guys think you have leverage is hysterical.

[J Smitty]

This is just getting entertaining.

Nugget Fans are so struck on the idea that Carmelo wants his money and security, yet he didn't your extension has he yet? In how long?

He hasn't even acknowledged that he'll sign it with the Nets. Even has gone to say "he hasn't thought about it." The fact that you guys think you have leverage is hysterical.

The fact that people don't understand simple rules of the NBA is more hysterical. Melo hasn't publicly acknowledged that he'll sign with the Nets? No **** **** Sherlock. He isn't allowed to...unless he wants to get a big ass fine and potentially other penalties. You really think players under contract with one team, are allowed to publicly talk about their intentions to sign with other teams? Now I've heard it all.

Nuggets fans are stuck on the idea that he wants his money and security? Yeah, we are...because it's a fact. Don't believe it? Read the comments Melo himself keeps making, stating the exact same thing. Oh, I forgot...facts and logic don't interest Knicks, only Chris Sheridan and his "unnamed sources." Got it.

[HeyJoe]

holy **** this is taking too long

[Newbballfan]

You guys Melo is still going to sign the extension with the Nuggets.... I mean he only returned from his honeymoon 6 months ago....

[Invictus]

You guys Melo is still going to sign the extension with the Nuggets.... I mean he only returned from his honeymoon 6 months ago....

And he only mentioned in the SI interview that all his family (including his wife's) are on the east coast.

[Invictus]

According to the article posted right above your post, the Nuggets have all the leverage in the world, as they're the only team that can give Carmelo the financial security before the lockout. No one can deny Melo wants the extension. Even if it's not "for the money" as he says, he still wants the long term security before the lockout that is going to happen "without a doubt" in his mind. If that isn't leverage for the Nuggets, I don't know what is.

At the end of the day, Melo is going to sign the extension. The only way that happens in NY, is if the Nuggets decide to trade him there. Carmelo has no power in that. All they have to do is say no, and he is **** out of luck. Melo has the leverage of saying no to the Nets, but he doesn't have any leverage on where he can get his extension at.

It's always going to be a game of chicken on who cracks first...but it seems to me Melo is making it pretty damn clear every time he talks to the media about the CBA and potential lockout and such, that he wants his extension and security. The "worst case scenario" is looking like he'll just give in and sign the extension with Denver. They'd probably be happy with that...but if not, at least it gives them the ability to trade him pretty much anywhere.

The Nuggets don't have "all the leverage in the world." You're selectively reading the article and drawing conclusions that fit your favored position in the argument. The FACTS are:

1. Melo stated that there are other factors involved that have led to the point of not signing the $65M extension (Melo: "who in their right mind would leave $65M on the table?). Among other factors: the location of the team (Melo: "all my family is on the East coast). He provided a response of sorts of why he hasn't signed Denver's $65M offer:

Right now it's hard for me to explain my reasoning behind the madness," he said with a smile. "But it's a lot of things that come into play. Whether it's the future of the organization or where they're headed or where they're trying to go, or whether it's contractual stuff with players and guys that are up [to be free agents] at the same time. People don't really know that type of stuff. They just think that I'm being stubborn and I just want to get up and leave -- just throw away eight years of my life.

So clearly, there is doubt in regards to the extension and the situation. You can't "hold all the leverage in the world" if there is intrinsic doubt surrounding the situation. Leverage occurs only if 1 clear cut choice is targeted. Obviously, that is NOT the case here.

2. Melo goes on to say that uncertainty with the CBA, and his being unaware of the CBA situation when he signed the extension in 2006 for 5 years, vs. the 4 years of Lebron/Bosh/Wade, has created a sense of urgency. When posed the question by Thomsen if that's another reason to sign the extension *now*, Melo replies "exactly." FACT: Melo has yet to sign an extension that has been sitting in front of him for some time. So clearly, there are other factors involved in his decision making and if security were all important to him, as you claim, then why hasn't he signed the extension with the nuggets yet? Melo goes on to state that he has gone over every single scenario in his head. Every question Thomsen posed to him in the interview, Melo had already posed to himself several times over. And yet, he still has not signed the extension.

Everything you say right now, I lie on the table and try to break down every situation, every scenario," he said. "Everything you're saying, I've already [put] thought into it. You don't know what the future's going to bring. That's how I have to look at it, because I don't really know what's going to happen in the future.

3. Interview talks about how Kobe was paired with Gasol, Lebron and wade paired up, and how none of the great players won a championship doing things on their own.

Everybody growing up says, 'I wish I could play with this guy, I wish I could play with that guy,' " he said. "I've always been an individual -- I always did things on my own, I always wanted to lead my own way, and I think I've done a great job here. By making this city fun, making this organization fun and people wanting to watch Denver Nuggets basketball, I think I've done a great job with that.

"But there comes a time where maybe that burden gets too heavy. But that's not going to stop me from going out and doing what I'm doing. I'm pretty sure everybody goes through it. LeBron went through it in Cleveland, D-Wade went through it in Miami. But then they got people. Kobe went through it at L.A. -- he definitely was going through it until they got Gasol and they got Lamar [Odom] and all them guys. Everybody goes through it, especially the offensive players, the great players.

This confirms that Melo thinks of the idea of playing with another star. Whether he actually desires to play with one, or he's ok to continue "going out on his own" as he states, is not clear cut. However, the facts are the Nets don't have that 2nd star. Knicks do. Does this mean that he will go to NYK? No, of course not. But this is yet another factor in Melo's thought process.

So, according to the article:

*Melo hasn't signed Denver extension due to various factors in play (direction of the Nuggets, contractual situation with players, uncertainty about the organization's future, desire to be closer to family, and so on)
*Melo sought financial security in 2006, which is why he signed for 5 instead of 4 like Lebron and co did. He acknowledges that the uncertainty with the CBA and likely (according to him) lockout make an extension all the more important. Yet, he still has not signed
*Melo admits that there are a whole slew of factors that are involved, and money is not the trump card. Is he lying? Who knows.

All in all that leads to your conclusion being correct ONLY if Melo unequivocally states financial security is his top priority. However pretty much first explained his reasons for not signing extension prior to stating why it's important to extend now. I.E., despite the urgency in signing the extension now, there are other factors in play that are clearly weighing on his mind.

And I hate to bring personal stuff into this, but Melo is still grieving. Can anyone say with confidence that money is the foremost important thing, when one of the very first responses he gave was that his family is on the east coast? He's thinking about other stuff than money here. That's quite obvious and that is why it is utterly incorrect to say Denver holds all the leverage.

[Prot9]

Would Anthony sign an extension with the Nets if they were able to complete a trade for him? He wouldn't tell me, but he indicated Ujiri knows the answer.
"If he wanted to know, he could come and ask me," said Anthony. "There's nothing that's been said in the paper that we haven't talked about already, and there's things that I know and he know that has not gotten out there and that people don't even know about right now."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/w ... z1BVMHPBPv

So you guys tell me, if Ujiri knows exactly what Melo wants, why would he still be in negotiations with NJ if Melo told him he doesn't want to extend there? For leverage? I don't know, I really don't know.

[AmareNY]

Calm down the Nets and Nuggets are on the phone right now, finishing up all the tiny details that going to lead to a trade. [I just feel it]

[ikidunot]

Wesley represent Bulls Coach Thibodeau, and is trying to push Melo there since the Nets deals aren't going though.

Anthony has long been enthusiastic about a possible trade to the Bulls, but Denver and Chicago officials had been previously unable to come to terms on a deal. Bulls executives John Paxson and Gar Forman have investigated the possibility of acquiring Anthony, but thus far haven’t been willing to include the one player the Nuggets most covet: center Joakim Noah(notes)

Nevertheless, William Wesley – Worldwide Wes – is expected to travel to Chicago for Bulls games on Thursday and Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers, a source said. Wesley unsuccessfully pushed LeBron James(notes) to sign with the Bulls as a free agent, and now has an interest in Anthony ending up there. Wesley represents Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau for CAA.

Chicago has wanted the Nuggets to take forward Luol Deng(notes) as a cornerstone to the deal, but Denver hasn’t been interested in absorbing the three years and $40 million left on his contract after this season.The Clippers, in desperate need of a small forward, were previously considered a potential Deng landing place.Still, Chicago badly needs another scoring option and Anthony is one of the NBA’s elite offensive players.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-anthonybulls011911

[Jordan45822]

Wesley represent Bulls Coach Thibodeau, and is trying to push Melo there since the Nets deals aren't going though.

Anthony has long been enthusiastic about a possible trade to the Bulls, but Denver and Chicago officials had been previously unable to come to terms on a deal. Bulls executives John Paxson and Gar Forman have investigated the possibility of acquiring Anthony, but thus far haven’t been willing to include the one player the Nuggets most covet: center Joakim Noah(notes)

Nevertheless, William Wesley – Worldwide Wes – is expected to travel to Chicago for Bulls games on Thursday and Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers, a source said. Wesley unsuccessfully pushed LeBron James(notes) to sign with the Bulls as a free agent, and now has an interest in Anthony ending up there. Wesley represents Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau for CAA.

Chicago has wanted the Nuggets to take forward Luol Deng(notes) as a cornerstone to the deal, but Denver hasn’t been interested in absorbing the three years and $40 million left on his contract after this season.The Clippers, in desperate need of a small forward, were previously considered a potential Deng landing place.Still, Chicago badly needs another scoring option and Anthony is one of the NBA’s elite offensive players.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-anthonybulls011911

LOL my team has no chance at getting Anthony. Nice try Rose and WWW.

[Jersey Generals]

Well, New Jersey's out of the Carmelo deal.

[Rhettmatic]

daldridgetnt David Aldridge
Wow. Prokhorov tells Nets to walk away from Carmelo deal..says decision is final.

http://twitter.com/#!/daldridgetnt/stat ... 5917478912

[magnumt]

daldridgetnt David Aldridge
Wow. Prokhorov tells Nets to walk away from Carmelo deal..says decision is final.

http://twitter.com/#!/daldridgetnt/stat ... 5917478912

Chris Sheridan and Chris Broussard just leap-frogged Aldridge in terms of sources.

Aldridge was 100% sure a deal was going to be done this Week.

--Mags