The proposed Carmelo Anthony-to-the-Knicks trade that was leaked on Saturday by ESPN’s Chris Broussard is bad for the Nuggets, an insult to Nuggets fans and shouldn’t be given even a passing thought.
As someone who has been firmly stationed in the “trade Melo for what you can get before he leaves at season’s end and you end up with nothing” camp, even I’d rather get nothing – literally nothing – for Melo than Wilson Chandler, Corey Brewer and a 2014 first round pick from the Timberwolves. If that’s truly the best the Nuggets can do if forced to deal with the Knicks, they’d be better off making Melo play out the remainder of the 2010-11 season in Denver, let their superstar small forward sweat possibly losing $30 million and take a shot at another playoff run (even though the Nuggets have stunk against the NBA’s better teams as of late).
In a “Melo stays” scenario, the Nuggets have a shot of me renewing my season tickets. In a “welcome Wilson Chandler and Corey Brewer to Denver!” scenario, the Nuggets can kiss my season ticket dollars good-bye unless they were to dramatically reduce the price. Wilson is a decent player who thrives in Mike D’Antoni’s free-wheeling system and Brewer has been nothing short of a bust given that he was the seventh overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Brewer reminds me most of former Nugget (and former sixth overall pick) DerMarr Johnson…another lanky and skinny shooting guard who couldn’t shoot and was too thin to guard anybody either.
As Jeff Morton pointed out to me in an email early Sunday morning, losing Melo in exchange for the likes of Chandler and Brewer should be completely unacceptable to Nuggets fans everywhere. And should such a stupid trade come close to becoming a reality, I'll make sure the higher-ups in the Nuggets organization hear from us.
In the meantime, here's a rundown of the stories circling around Nuggets Nation and elsewhere in the NBA…
Econ 101 basics say Melo stays – The Denver Post
Chris Dempsey argues that while the Cavaliers and Raptors received only late first round picks from Miami in trade for LeBron James and Chris Bosh, at least they got picks and ample cape space in the form of a trade exception. And thus, it might behoove the Nuggets to do the same thing and keep Melo through the end of the 2010-11 season.
Sources: New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves discuss Carmelo deal – ESPN New York
The story that started it all. According to Chris Broussard, the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks are discussing a three-team trade that would make forward Carmelo Anthony a Knick before the Feb. 24 trade deadline, according to league sources.
Denver might want to follow in the Cavs misery – CBSSports.com
Royce Young suggests that Denver might want to follow in the Cavs misery. No joke.
Rudy Fernandez Wants to Stay in Portland, Andre Miller Thinks He May Leave — NBA FanHouse
Chris Tomasson reports that former Nugget Andre Miller might be former Blazer Andre Miller before the trade deadline.
Injured Linas Kleiza Denies Report of Incompetence by Toronto’s Medical Staff — NBA FanHouse
Could there be a controversy brewing between former Nugget Linas Kleiza and the medical staff of his current team, the Toronto Raptors?
From the Archives…
Trading Melo is not an option – Denver Stiffs
Last July, my colleague Nate Timmons put together a number of trade scenarios for Melo…all of which are better than what might be in the works with the Knicks.
