In another round of "news" masquerading as news in the Carmelo Anthony trade saga, the New York Post reports that unnamed sources believe Anthony will let the New Jersey Nets know on Monday if he will accept a trade there and sign an extension. It will be a colossal upset if Anthony tells the Nets that he will accept the trade and sign the extension. For seven months we have heard that he will not sign the three-year, $65 million deal, but never directly from his mouth.
The Nets are willing to send Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, other players and four first-round draft picks to the Denver Nuggets for Anthony, Chauncey Billups and filler pieces. Without the extension, the Nets would not be that generous in acquiring Anthony as a rent-a-player option.
If Anthony tells the Nets he will not sign the extension, the New York Knicks become the favorite to land a trade. However, a new report claims that the Nuggets want Timofey Mozgov in the final trade, but the Knicks are not including him. With the Knicks the only suitor, the Nuggets can continue to play hardball with the Knicks and bleed them dry in acquiring Anthony. But if the Knicks had any sense, they would just hunker down and not make the trade. Anthony will hit the free agent market this summer, making it far easier for the Knicks to acquire him.