NEW YORK, (Reuters) – The long-simmering saga surrounding the future of Denver Nuggets scoring machine Carmelo Anthony may come to a head this weekend and climax what has come to be known as the NBA’s Melo-drama.
The cliffhanger of whether Anthony will be dealt to the Knicks, Nets, Lakers or some other club by the Feb 24 trade deadline, remain in Denver or become a free agent could have a critical chapter during the All-Star break in Los Angeles.
New York’s Daily News reported yesterday that both Knicks owner James Dolan and the Nets’ Russian owner Mikhail Prokhorov were scheduled to meet with Anthony in Los Angeles.
The 26-year-old Anthony, a 6-8 (2.03M) forward and four-time All Star who is averaging 25.2 points this season, has been offered a three-year, $65 million extension by the Nuggets but has made no secret of a desire to play in New York.
“Who wouldn’t want to play in New York?” Anthony said last month as rumoured trade offers and demands heated up.
“That’s like the ultimate dream at the end of the day,” added Anthony, who was born in Brooklyn. “Who wouldn’t want to go back home to play?”
Anthony grew up on the East Coast in Baltimore and led New York state’s Syracuse University to the U.S. college title as a freshman before becoming the third pick of the 2003 NBA Draft.
WEDDING TOAST
The Melo-drama began with a wedding toast made by All-Star point guard Chris Paul at Anthony’s nuptials in New York last summer, a couple of days after LeBron James announced he was signing with the Heat to form a superstar troika in Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Paul spoke of a potential on-court partnership with Anthony and fellow wedding party attendee Amar’e Stoudemire, who had just signed as a free agent with the Knicks.
“We’ll form our own Big Three,” Paul was later quoted as saying by a guest at the party that included also included James. Paul can become a free agent after next season.
