With Carmelo Anthony balking at signing a three-year, $65 million extension with Denver, rumors are circulating that the Nuggets have been making calls around the league to get an idea of what they would receive for Anthony in a trade. There are a few reasons why many insiders feel a parting between Denver and Anthony is inevitable:- He has delayed signing the contract extension, which is for the maximum allowed under current league rules. There's no other plausible reason for him to hold out, as he can't get any more money or years on the deal. He is also risking getting a lesser deal if there's a new collective bargaining agreement for the 2011-12 season.
- He has put his Denver mansion up for sale.
- At his wedding a few weeks ago, Chris Paul toasted Anthony and his wife, LaLa Vazquez, by predicting a new Big Three of Anthony, Paul, and Amar'e Stoudemire in New York. Nuggets owner, Stan Groenke, was in attendance and was met with awkward silence when he suggested Chris Paul could come to Denver to team with Carmelo.
In terms of Anthony's fantasy value, owners shouldn't worry about whether he's going to be traded. Carmelo is a stud who will produce on nearly any team he goes to. I'd only worry if he was sent to a team with other star players like the Lakers or Miami, but that is very unlikely as the Nuggets would demand top talent in any 'Melo deal. It could be a boon for Anthony owners if he's traded to a weaker team where Carmelo would be able to take on even more of the offensive load. This is essentially a contract year for Anthony, so I expect him to have a huge season and, potentially, finish as one of the top 5 fantasy players this year.
