Yesterday Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony told the press that he would “take a hard look” at signing the the three-year, $65 million extension the Nuggets have on the table if the team is unable to trade him.
ESPN’s Marc Stein reports today that Nuggets brass, led by Masai Ujiri, was probably more frustrated than happy that Anthony is now once again saying he’s willing to sign the extension simply because it seems like the NBA All-Star would be doing it for all of the wrong reasons.
The Nuggets are well aware that Anthony — in the event he isn’t traded and then offers to sign the extension — would purely be doing so because he wants to secure the richest possible contract under the current collective bargaining agreement. Not because he’s had a true change of heart.
And that’s not how Denver officials, according to sources familiar with their thinking, want to rebuild their team, knowing that Anthony could well sign for an additional three years and $65 million and still be disgruntled. Or, worse, try to force a trade next season.
Stein also mentions that the Nuggets are hopeful that they are able to get Melo traded before the trade deadline so that they have a couple of days to attempt to shop J.R. Smith, Nene and Kenyon Martin in the wake of the deal.
No matter what happens, it sounds like this situation is going to end in a mess.