While the Denver Nuggets are holding off on trade discussions involving Carmelo Anthony until next week, Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Nuggets are seeking five future first-round draft picks in any deal. Wojnarowski quotes one unnamed executive who doesn't believe that will ever happen, but the Nuggets' front office is serious about this:
Even so, Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke and general manager Masai Ujiri privately insist they’re going to make a team pay a steep price for their franchise player.
If the Nuggets really do want five future first-round selections, then one or two other teams will need to be involved. Apparently, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Portland Trail Blazers have attempted to insert themselves into a potential deal, but they have proven fruitless thus far.
Wojnarowski believes Denver's preferred package is a deal involving the Nets' Derrick Favors and Trail Blazers' Nicolas Batum, but Portland is reluctant to trade Batum and the Nets have been unable to find a third team to take Troy Murphy (who is a required part of any deal) and his expiring contract.
We have about two months until the trade deadline and these rumors are going to keep growing in scope. Which one will turn out true?