Carmelo: "Wherever I go, I'm going to sign the extension"

[Teletopez]

Anthony has helped bail out Denver in some of these near blown saves. Of course, the Nuggets' closer could be gone from the bullpen before Feb. 24. The Nuggets are considering trading Anthony, possibly to New Jersey, but a source said last week that the Nets don't know if Melo would sign the three-year contract extension.

 

Anthony was asked Saturday if there was a possible scenario of signing the extension to go to the Nets.

 

"Wherever I go, I'm going to sign the extension," he said.

 

But then he was asked, "If they come to you and say, 'We have a deal to send you to the Nets,' would you sign?"

 

"I don't know," Anthony said. "I don't know. I'd have to deal with that when it comes. . . .

 

From Postgame Interview

 

Did he say, "I don't know," because he would be fined for directly answering the question?

[Check my Stats]

He said I don't know because he is being a big [expletive]. I wish the Nets would just forget about him.

[Teletopez]

He said I don't know because he is being a big [expletive]. I wish the Nets would just forget about him.

Then why would he say what he did in the first response?

 

"Wherever I go, I'm going to sign the extension."

 

Unless he's aware of Denver having some other deal completed, you would think he is aware that New Jersey is included in "wherever."

 

In two questions, he goes from being clear to confusing everyone even more.

[Teletopez]

I suppose what he means to say is that he just wants the money, regardless of where he goes, as long as he doesn't stay in Denver.

[Teletopez]

A couple days ago, Marc Stein reported the following:

 

If the Nets and Nuggets come to terms on a trade, according to one source briefed on the teams' discussions to date, Nets officials will request (and be granted) permission to have a face-to-face meeting with Anthony.

 

Melo would then get a pitch from Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, minority owner Jay-Z and coach Avery Johnson similar to the presentation LeBron James received from the Nets in July at the start of his free-agent recruiting summit, which will undoubtedly feature an aggressive effort to convince Melo that the Nets will be playing in Brooklyn in time for the 2012-13 season.

 

You have to figure that the Brooklyn-born Anthony is going to listen to everything they say.

 

The pitch, though, won't merely be location, location, location. Bank on the Nets, just as the Nuggets have been trying to tell Melo for months, that he can be a true hero if he signs with them. A savior, even. The Nets will point out how the Knicks, on top of all the questions in circulation about how he truly fits on a Knicks team that already scores plenty while lacking shut-down defenders and rebounders, already have a savior named Amare Stoudemire.

 

They will ask Anthony if he wants to be the face of their franchise in a shiny new arena in Brooklyn ... or at best Amare's co-star on Broadway.

ESPN

 

If it's as simple as signing the extension wherever he goes, maybe this doesn't mean so much.

[Cleveland's Finest]

I feel sad for the poor Denver fans who have to go through this crap. It's the same way us Cleveland fans felt.

 

How unprofessional is it that he blatantly talks about manners not relating to his current job?

Edited December 20, 2010 by Cleveland's Finest

[The Truth]

If it's as simple as signing the extension wherever he goes, maybe this doesn't mean so much.

in all honestly, he's probably a better fit with the Nets. New York already has a few good perimeter scorers (Fields, Chandler, Gallo), and they're all going to get better. signing with Jersey would give the Nets two great players in Melo and Lopez, and they could go after Paul next summer. besides, they're moving to New York in a couple seasons anyway, so he'd still be able to play where he wants.

[Multi-Billionaire]

My impression on him is it's a combination of:

- Not wanting to give his leverage away

- Being indecisive

[*Swish*]

Now it's him doing the LeBron drama and I could feel it from far from Dwight Howard..

[Newman]

^ I would say Dwight would never do this, but in the NBA amazing things happens so I can't say for sure.

 

As for what Melo said, I think this is just a way to increase trade interest and let him leave quicker.

Edited December 20, 2010 by Newman

[Universe]

He wants his MONEY.

[Real Deal]

Okay, let me re-visit what I stated last summer...

 

Melo has leverage, but so do the Nuggets. I'll let Larry Coon explain.

 

if Den doesn't want Melo to Lebron them they'll have to loosen up their stance. Beggers can't be choosers.

They've got leverage as well. Only way Melo gets $65M is if Den trades him to team that will extend him, or he signs extension with them (either to stay or in an extend-and-trade).

I stressed how important it was going to be for Melo to get this extension signed before the February trade deadline. It's a must if he doesn't want what COULD be up to a 30% paycut and a year less on his contract (potentially two years less if you combine the year subtracted due to a new CBA + a year less due to not being signed and traded).

 

Melo's best-case scenario is this: the Knicks and Nuggets agree to a trade before the deadline, and Melo signs the extension and is dealt to NY. Same with the Nets and Nuggets.

 

However, all Denver has to do is refuse the trade, keep him through the deadline, and then work a sign-and-trade in the off-season (after losing what could be up to 30% of the money, why would Melo refuse to a sign-and-trade that would give him an extra year?)...so in all reality, Denver could really screw him over.