Denver Post: Denver Will Trade Mello If He Doesn't Resign

[boogydown]

Summarizing this, Denver expects Mello to agree to an extension but if he declines, they will look to trade him.

Comments Below

The Nuggets are pressing Carmelo Anthony for a long-term commitment, because if he declines a three-year, $65 million contract extension now on the table, the team must consider trading its leading scorer.

With an eye on how megastars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh have held the league's competitive balance in their fickle hands and turned this summer's free-agency period into a three-ring circus, the Nuggets seem determined not to let Anthony do the same in Denver.

While their offer of a hefty contract extension proves the Nuggets hope Anthony will remain the face of the franchise for years to come, the team is prepared to trade Melo rather than let him walk as a free agent next summer, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

http://www.denverpost.com/kiszla/ci_15405631

[almost famous]

I am soooo glad the front office are not budging on this. Carmelo is NOT LeBron, Wade, or Kobe. If his loyalty isn't there, get rid of him.

[eathb_au]

Kizla.

[melo mvp 15]

Kizla is the worst writer I've ever read... all he does is speculate and come up with crazy ideas and calls them rumors.. the only reason the melo trade thing is on the wiretap is b/c it stemmed from Kizla... so it's not like another story, it's just coming from the same source

[vitamin-water]

there's approx. 5% chance that he's leaving in my opinion.

[Nugologist]

The team has more leverage than Melo, because the new CBA will almost certainly bring salaries down. Melo stands to lose a lot of money if he doesn't sign an extension now, and in my opinion that's a bigger factor for him than his perceived chance of winning a championship. With that said, I hope they make a big move or two in addition to re-signing him. For the right player(s) in exchange, I would look for ways to deal any of the players on our current roster, with the exception of Melo and Lawson.

[The Rebel]

Fact is that the Nuggets are stuck in a bad spot. They do not have the assets to dramatically improve the team without moving Melo, Billups, or Nene and really have not shown a willingness to spend the money since AI that it would take to do the deals either way.

If the Nuggets get enough quality assets I don't know that I would rule out a Melo trade, But I would want a young improving big and a top young Sg, with cap relief/ picks.

[xpmar9x]

Silly rumors! Carmelo will retire on the Nuggets.

[nathkost]

Trade Melo and Smith for Dirk and Shawn Marion

Then Trade K-Mart to the Bucks for Michael Redd (This works because they are both injured often)

Sign a cheap backup SF like Jarvis Hayes
Sign F/C Kurt Thomas

Then The Nuggets are

Billups / Lawson
Redd / Affalo
Marion / Hayes
Dirk / Andersen
Nene / Thomas

Championship!

[Nutty Nats Fan]

I am soooo glad the front office are not budging on this. Carmelo is NOT LeBron, Wade, or Kobe. If his loyalty isn't there, get rid of him.

Hope you realize the article is BS.

But on your post, loyalty isn't there? He already has shown he is loyal by not being greedy like Lebron or Wade. If he isn't signing the extension right away, well good for him. I'd want to see the team improving itself before I sign an extension too. I'd want to see them trying to spend to win, not trying to save money. That could be called a lack of loyalty by the team to the players, since they weren't putting them in the best position they could to win.

[The J Rocka]

Will give you guys Al Jefferson or Love (your choice) and Brewer + incentive for Melo

Note: If available

[God Squad]

Your teams Fuc*** without Melo.

[MHZ]

I am soooo glad the front office are not budging on this. Carmelo is NOT LeBron, Wade, or Kobe. If his loyalty isn't there, get rid of him.

You'd think as a fan you would want Carmelo to leverage anything he can to push the Nuggets toward improving their team. Signing right away sends the message that all you care about is the money.

This whole "you're with us or you're against us" idea is BS. Organizations use athletes all the time - Carmelo SHOULD do whatever he can to make the team try to get better.

[melo mvp 15]

Mark fuc@!!!g Kizla wrote this... and now it's spreading like crazy b/c this idiot decided to publish his pure speculation

[GuyJones]

Billups / Lawson
Redd / Affalo
Marion / Hayes
Dirk / Andersen
Nene / Thomas

Championship!

First this is probably the worst idea ever if it isnt a joke, which it seems to be (sorry sarcasm doesn't transfer well over text). That team would be worse defensively than golden state lol

Second, Melo aint leaving. He loves Denver, and this article, like most journalists try to do, is just sturring up controversy for the hell of it.

[The Rebel]

The question really is what moves can the Nuggets make?

Jr is limited on what he could bring back.

Kmart is now going to miss part of the season and with the lockout looming I don't see expirings having near as much importance.

Afflalo and Lawson are worth more to the Nuggets now and in the future then anybody you can get for them in a trade.

Nene has some good value, but you are not going to get a better big back for him in a trade which means then who do you replace him with at center?

Andersen is a solid role playing center, but he is paid about what he is worth, and you are not going to improve either big slot by trading him.

Balkman should have never been signed to the deal he got.

I personally don't think anybody we could sign for the MLE is really going to be the difference maker either. Especially considering we now need 2 bigs, plus replacements for anybody you trade. Does anybody really believe that maybe trading JR for a servicable big, signing someone with the MLE like Mike Miller, and grabbing a couple of other bigs for LLE or less money is going to improve the team? I cannot see a roster like the following winning the chip, and even worse I think they are then stuck in cap hell for even longer.

Billups/ lawson
Afflalo/ Miller/Karl
Melo/ Miller/ Graham
Ty Thomas/ Drew Gooden or brad miller
Nene/ Andersen/ Petro

There are not many things you can do to actually improve the team long term and right now given the salary constraints that the Nuggets face. The only real options I can see to really improve beyond where they are now is waiting a year when they have some roster flexibility and hope that Melo is patient, trade Billups for a big or two, or moving Melo and just rebuilding.

[Nutty Nats Fan]

Salaries aren't exact, would need some filler, but the general idea of a team complete rebuild.

Denver gets: Murphy, Okafor, Paul, Posey.
Hornets get: Kmart, Hibbert, Billups, two future Denver 1sts.
Pacers get: Ty, JR.

Would need some playing, very unlikely, and depends on what NO wants to do. Supposed if Paul is traded, Denver is one of the cities on his list.

Sign Mike Miller to the MLE.

Paul/FA
AA/Miller
Okafor/Nene
Melo/Miller
Murphy/Nene

[melo mvp 15]

Salaries aren't exact, would need some filler, but the general idea of a team complete rebuild.

Denver gets: Murphy, Okafor, Paul, Posey.
Hornets get: Kmart, Hibbert, Billups, two future Denver 1sts.
Pacers get: Ty, JR.

Would need some playing, very unlikely, and depends on what NO wants to do. Supposed if Paul is traded, Denver is one of the cities on his list.

Sign Mike Miller to the MLE.

Paul/FA
AA/Miller
Okafor/Nene
Melo/Miller
Murphy/Nene

I love it... first of all Nene would start over Murphy... second of all we'd still have Birdman to back up center.... overall great trade... but that's for the Nuggets.. I don't see the Hornets doing this and I think the Pacers doing this unless they get a somewhat decent center in it.... but maybe this fits with the rumors of Paul and Melo talking together

[Nutty Nats Fan]

Salaries aren't exact, would need some filler, but the general idea of a team complete rebuild.

Denver gets: Murphy, Okafor, Paul, Posey.
Hornets get: Kmart, Hibbert, Billups, two future Denver 1sts.
Pacers get: Ty, JR.

Would need some playing, very unlikely, and depends on what NO wants to do. Supposed if Paul is traded, Denver is one of the cities on his list.

Sign Mike Miller to the MLE.

Paul/FA
AA/Miller
Okafor/Nene
Melo/Miller
Murphy/Nene

I love it... first of all Nene would start over Murphy... second of all we'd still have Birdman to back up center.... overall great trade... but that's for the Nuggets.. I don't see the Hornets doing this and I think the Pacers doing this unless they get a somewhat decent center in it.... but maybe this fits with the rumors of Paul and Melo talking together

I forgot about Bridman.

And no, Murphy starts over Nene. Murphy is a better rebounder and much better at PF with his outside shot for the offense. Nene can come in and puss it up against backups.

[vitamin-water]

Salaries aren't exact, would need some filler, but the general idea of a team complete rebuild.

Denver gets: Murphy, Okafor, Paul, Posey.
Hornets get: Kmart, Hibbert, Billups, two future Denver 1sts.
Pacers get: Ty, JR.

Would need some playing, very unlikely, and depends on what NO wants to do. Supposed if Paul is traded, Denver is one of the cities on his list.

Sign Mike Miller to the MLE.

Paul/FA
AA/Miller
Okafor/Nene
Melo/Miller
Murphy/Nene

i'm in..... 50-50 for champs?