Melo will get out, but only when Denver says so
The Nuggets continue to field numerous offers for disgruntled star Carmelo Anthony, and rival executives who've been in contact with them recently say Denver officials are more resigned than ever to the fact that Melo must go -- but on their schedule, not his.
"He's made it clear that he wants out, period," one executive connected to the situation told CBSSports.com on Wednesday.
But the Nuggets' front office, which recently added cap expert and deal-maker Pete D'Alessandro to assist GM Masai Ujiri, adviser Bret Bearup and owner-in-waiting Josh Kroenke, remains in no rush to accommodate Anthony's wish. According to several people with knowledge of the Nuggets' plans, the organization believes the best course of action is to let the season begin, hope the team can get off to a positive start and continue weighing trade offers in an effort to find the best deal.
"If nothing happens in the next week," one person with knowledge of the Nuggets' strategy said, "I don't think it happens until after Dec. 15."
From the beginning of the Melodrama, Denver's wish list of veteran replacements for Anthony has been consistent: Joakim Noah, Andrei Kirilenko, Andre Iguodala, Gerald Wallace or Anderson Varejao.
Sources say numerous teams have inquired about Varejao, but the Cavs won't even entertain such talks unless they're getting a superstar in return; Anthony, for one, has made it clear he wouldn't sign an extension in Cleveland. Noah is off the list because his recently signed extension makes him a base-year player, meaning the salary used for trade-computing purposes would be too high to construct a practical deal under league rules. The Jazz have soured on participating in a Melo trade, and the Bobcats haven't engaged in substantive discussions with Denver since the original deal fell apart -- nor have they heard from the Knicks on any efforts to acquire Wallace for the Nuggets. Similarly, the Knicks have yet to engage the Sixers in any such discussions about Iguodala.
"I don't see how the Knicks can give them a better deal than New Jersey has to offer," a person connected to the discussions said. "New Jersey has a lot more flexibility and a lot more assets."
So executives who've been in touch with Denver officials recently say the organization appears to have decided to make an attempt to start the season with Anthony. This calculated gamble would allow the new management team to appear determined to keep Anthony happy at all costs -- a strategy that isn't going to succeed, according to those familiar with Anthony's unbending insistence on leaving Denver and hooking up with a second superstar, preferably Amar'e Stoudemire in New York. Also, executives believe there is little difference between the value Denver would get in a trade now compared to what would be available in December.
"Why rush?" one of the executives said. "You can do a bad deal any time."
