Nets nearing deal for Melo

[dbatesman]

Vomit.

Nets ‘real close’ to landing Anthony

By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports

4 hours, 15 minutes ago

The New Jersey Nets are nearing agreement on a three-team trade to acquire Denver Nuggets All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony(notes), league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

“It’s real close,” one source with knowledge of the talks said.

The Nets are close to completing the component of the trade that exchanges Troy Murphy(notes) for Detroit Pistons guard Richard Hamilton(notes), sources said. The teams are still negotiating whether Nets center Johan Petro(notes), who has two years and $6.75 million left on his contract after this season, will be included, but that isn’t expected to unravel the overall deal. The Pistons are too motivated to unload the remaining two years and $25 million on Hamilton’s contract for Murphy’s $12 million expiring deal.

The proposed trade will send Anthony, Hamilton, Chauncey Billups(notes), Nuggets guard Anthony Carter(notes) and forward Shelden Williams(notes) to the Nets. The Nuggets will receive two first-round picks from the Nets, point guard Devin Harris(notes), rookie forward Derrick Favors(notes), guards Anthony Morrow(notes), Ben Uzoh(notes), Stephen Graham(notes) and Quinton Ross(notes). The Pistons will get Murphy and Petro.

If completed, the proposed trade would match the 13-player deal that sent Antoine Walker from the Boston Celtics to the Miami Heat on Aug. 2, 2005, as the largest in NBA history.

One front-office executive said Anthony is “on board” with signing a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nets – provided New Jersey completes the Detroit part of the deal.

“He wants to play with Rip,” the source said.

Billups would prefer to stay in Denver, but to make him more comfortable about the trade, the Nets are expected to commit to paying him the full $14.2 million he’s due next season in the final year of his contract rather than buying him out for just $3.7 million this summer, league sources said. Billups’ agent, Andy Miller, had said Saturday that his client would immediately seek a buyout if he wasn’t happy with the trade.

The New York Knicks remain Anthony’s preferred destination, but Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri has told Knicks president Donnie Walsh that his team doesn’t have the assets Denver wants. When Walsh has asked Ujiri to provide him with a list of the Nuggets’ desires, whether it be draft picks or specific players from other teams, sources said Ujiri has been unresponsive.

Anthony’s agent, Leon Rose, has been the driving force behind bringing Hamilton into the talks, league sources said. Rose, also represents Hamilton, and sources said he pushed Nets GM Billy King to bring the Pistons into trade talks with New Jersey and the Nuggets. Anthony has wanted the Nets to upgrade their roster upon his arrival for him to sign an extension.

“Leon is driving this one,” one front-office executive told Yahoo! Sports on Friday night.

With Anthony’s agent so heavily involved in brokering particular players in the deal, the Nets are working under a belief that a proposed package to bring them Hamilton and Billups would be sufficient to sell Anthony on joining them over his the Knicks.

Rose and William Wesley of CAA have long wanted to get Anthony and another of their clients, New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul(notes), to the Nets as the franchise prepares for a move to Brooklyn, N.Y. For now, Rose is pushing hard to get a suitable package together for Denver to get his client off a team he longer wants to play for.

The availability of Hamilton has been known for months, and yet the Nets only now finally reached out about including him in the Anthony deal. This could suggest that Rose and Anthony are more enthusiastic about adding Hamilton than King and Nets coach Avery Johnson.

The Record of Hackensack, N.J., first reported that New Jersey had engaged Detroit in the talks on Friday.

Most league executives were dubious Anthony would believe Billups and Hamilton, ages 34 and 32, respectively, would be tantalizing. Nevertheless, Denver has shown little interest in negotiating a trade with New York, and it believes Anthony doesn’t want to risk free agency this offseason when a new labor agreement could cost him tens of millions of dollars in guaranteed money.

As Yahoo! Sports first reported on Dec. 14, the Nets want the chance to use Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov to personally sell Anthony on signing a contract extension.

[RutgersJetFan]

Sweet balls of Mary that's a crapload of players. Hamilton's legs are done and he's been a baby about it to boot. Really, really poor decision if he takes this one.

[Aten]

Sweet balls of Mary that's a crapload of players. Hamilton's legs are done and he's been a baby about it to boot. Really, really poor decision if he takes this one.

Let them all have it if this is what it takes to make Denver happy and get Carmelo to sign. He's a superstar but it isn't all that hard to make a case that the Knicks are better off in both the short and long term if they're able to get Camby to accept a trade and retain flexibility for 2012.

[RutgersJetFan]

Let them all have it if this is what it takes to make Denver happy and get Carmelo to sign. He's a superstar but it isn't all that hard to make a case that the Knicks are better off in both the short and long term if they're able to get Camby to accept a trade and retain flexibility for 2012.

Welcome aboard.

[Aten]

Welcome aboard.

Well, to be fair, I think the fact that this deal has even gotten as close as it has means that things either have changed or were never as they appeared. Melo isn't as resolute as we thought, meaning Denver isn't as desperate as we thought, meaning there's absolutely no way of getting this done without Fields, and screw that.

[RutgersJetFan]

Well, to be fair, I think the fact that this deal has even gotten as close as it has means that things either have changed or were never as they appeared. Melo isn't as resolute as we thought, meaning Denver isn't as desperate as we thought, meaning there's absolutely no way of getting this done without Fields, and screw that.

Pretty much. Now they're looking to dump Harrington's contract along with it? Most absurd trade demands ever. There's no doubt in my mind that they demanded all 3, Randolph, Curry, and probably Kelena or Douglas too. Good for Donnie. You simply can't build a contender at that cost.

[dolphann4life]

So if the Knicks don't get Melo...who's next? lol

[Aten]

There's no doubt in my mind that they demanded all 3, Randolph, Curry, and probably Kelena or Douglas too.

Nope. They actually haven't demanded anything. When the zip it or we trade him to the Knicks story dropped yesterday, Donnie did his due diligence and asked them what they had in mind. No reply.

[Aten]

So if the Knicks don't get Melo...who's next? lol

Flip Curry's expiring for a forklift, a catwalk, and a smoke machine. Blast car commercial muzak. Prance around. Seems to work.

[RutgersJetFan]

Nope. They actually haven't demanded anything. When the zip it or we trade him to the Knicks story dropped yesterday, Donnie did his due diligence and asked them what they had in mind. No reply.

Nah I meant earlier in the year after the first deal fell through. Which would explain why they don't even want to take calls from Donnie anymore.

[RutgersJetFan]

Flip Curry's expiring for a forklift, a catwalk, and a smoke machine. Blast car commercial muzak. Prance around. Seems to work.

You forgot the 'wish you were here' tweets. Even better Amare can make a couple of 'How's Newark?' someecards.

[RutgersJetFan]

So if the Knicks don't get Melo...who's next? lol

Let next season not happen, watch and wait as he gets pissed when Rip's 34 when the lockout ends and he demands a trade across the water. When basketball comes back that is going to still be a pretty bad Net squad and this isnt 2003's Eastern Conference.

[JohnnyHector]

Pretty much. Now they're looking to dump Harrington's contract along with it? Most absurd trade demands ever. There's no doubt in my mind that they demanded all 3, Randolph, Curry, and probably Kelena or Douglas too. Good for Donnie. You simply can't build a contender at that cost.

I'd send Gallo, Azubuike, Mason, Curry's expiring + $3m for Melo and take back Al NoSharrington (and even Billups) given the following conditions:

- they intend to re-sign Chandler in the offseason

- they feel they are set with Felton at PG and after picking up his 3rd year option, sign him long-term following the 2012 season

- the Knicks don't think they have a chance whatsoever at D. Howard in 2012

- they are committed to D'Antoni for the next ~3 years

You put yourself back over the cap for the (at least) the next four years and are destined to be a small ball team, but I think that's going to be the case regardless given that D'Antoni is the coach and that there is a dearth of avaialable bigs (unless the Bucks want to blow it up and give Bogut away for 30 cents on the dollar). However, If the MLE disappears in the new CBA, it would really screw them if they go this route, as it would greatly limit their ability to improve the roster for a few years.

I think it's also becoming clear that Denver is looking for some significant cap relief if they move Melo, which they won't get from the Nets without moving Harrington. They also accomplish putting NJ out of the running for either CP3 or D. Williams in 2012, as they'll be capped out, which I'm sure is not a coincidence, as they're definitely some spite involved.

[JohnnyHector]

I meant to say "or even Billups", which would require some additional salary heading to Denver to even it out. There's clearly no way the salaries would work to acquire all 3, unless the Knicks were to involve a 3rd team with a huge TPE (ie. Cleveland or Toronto).

Given the difference in contract length, I think they're probably more motivated to move Harrington, though it's their own fault for giving him that deal this past offseason.

[Aten]

I'd send Gallo, Azubuike, Mason, Curry's expiring + $3m for Melo and take back Al NoSharrington (and even Billups) given the following conditions:

I'd rather trade Chandler and expirings and take on 2011 salary to fill out the roster and keep 2012 alive. I'd rather trade Chandler and Gallo than take Harrington or Billups.

[JohnnyHector]

I'd rather trade Chandler and expirings and take on 2011 salary to fill out the roster and keep 2012 alive. I'd rather trade Chandler and Gallo than take Harrington or Billups.

My statement was based on Walsh claiming that they fully intend to sign Chandler this upcoming offseason - which obviously doesn't preclude a trade from taking place this year. If the team decides they're committed to Chandler/Felton/D'Antoni and figure Howard to be a pipe dream, then taking on salary now to facilitate a deal doesn't hurt them much, as they couldn't get under the cap to sign anyone of consequence with the money they'll have committed to Stat/Melo/Chandler/Felton.

Are you looking to keep 2012 alive for anyone other than Howard - or a center for that matter? Kaman is the only other guy that will be a UFA, as the Lakers have a team option on Bynum and every other guy that fits the over 6'10"/under 35/has a pulse criteria is an RFA.

[Aten]

My statement was based on Walsh claiming that they fully intend to sign Chandler this upcoming offseason - which obviously doesn't preclude a trade from taking place this year.

Frankly I think the alternatives we've explored kinda mandate a trade. I don't see how anything involving paying Chandler can work. Howard in 2012 won't happen. Much as it drives everybody else in the whole world crazy, D'Antoni loves him some Amar'e at the 5. It's not like he just does this for lack of another credible big.

[SMC]

If anything, I'd agree to Aten's package.

But the Nets-Melo deal isn't going to happen. Melo is against signing an extension with the Nets. Sheridan has reported that for a month and now finally Broussard and Wojo are backing his initial report.

From Melo's POV, signing an extension with NJ makes no sense. He might as well re-up with Denver.

The Nets would have to bring back so many bad contracts that it would kill their cap flexibility for 2012. The Nets are the ones putting it out there that Melo would agree to sign with them. It's total BS. Just like after their meeting with LeBron and the Nets were doing TD celebrations claiming they were in the lead now to sign him. They also try to sell Lopez as a star which is a joke.

The big Russian is doing a horrible job running this franchise. The Thunder model was the one that most made sense for them. Now they're going to give up a lottery pick (they're not getting to the playoffs with Melo this year) and more 1st rounders and be cap strapped in the near future.

Finally, Leon Rose and World Wide Wess are obviously desperate for their commission. They didn't rep Melo on last deal and any extension would give them a cut. That's why there are reports that Rose & Wess are pushing for the deal now. The owners are committed to rolling back salary so Melo's $65 mil won't be worth that, but are Rose & Wess going to give back a proportion of their commission? Of course not.

The Nets & Denver have been pushing it, but the one person who needs to agree (Melo) is against it.

[JohnnyHector]

Howard in 2012 won't happen. Much as it drives everybody else in the whole world crazy, D'Antoni loves him some Amar'e at the 5. It's not like he just does this for lack of another credible big.

I agree, which is why I included the "committed to D'Antoni" condition and also why I don't see the upside in trying to maintain cap space for 2012 to possibly have a chance at signing CP3 or D. Williams. Being under the cap going into the 2012 offseason would actually make it more difficult to keep Fields, since being over allows them to use his early Bird rights (and are protected to some degree by the Arenas provision). If the Knicks are under, some team could offer him a contract for the MLE which either takes a big chunk out of that available cap space or leaves them unable to match.

At this point, they probably need to commi to Felton, provided he maintains (or even elevates) his play over the next season and a half, given their ability to use his Bird rights to re-sign him.

Frankly I think the alternatives we've explored kinda mandate a trade. I don't see how anything involving paying Chandler can work.

I don't see Chandler having much value to Denver, as he a) won't be cheap beyond this season and has openly expressed having no desire to go to Denver. They'd either need to move him in a deal to a team that's over the cap and is looking to acquire his Bird rights to extend him or roll with him for the rest of the year and let him go without compensation.

I think their best roster is one that involves dealing for Melo and extending Chandler, simply based on the way the cap is structured and the exceptions they'll have available.

I'd try to sweeten a deal with Denver by offering to take on Billups, which requires a 3rd team with a TPE (or cap room) to make it work - ie. send Randolph to Indiana for a pick (with them using $2m of their Troy Murphy TPE).

Gallo/Azubuike/Curry/Mason/Turiaf + pick(s) + cash to Denver for Melo/Billups

They'll be hurting for size this year, putting Mozgov in the rotation, but can use the MLE in the offseason and/or Billups expiring next year to add a big or two.

[Aten]

The Nets & Denver have been pushing it, but the one person who needs to agree (Melo) is against it.

The only thing you can really say with certainty is that he hasn't definitively ruled out New Jersey. There's no other explanation for the extent of his agent's participation in all of this. Whether he's willing to play for the Nets as they'd be comprised after the proposed trade is another question altogether, and the answer to that one certainly seems to be no.

I'd try to sweeten a deal with Denver by offering to take on Billups, which requires a 3rd team with a TPE (or cap room) to make it work - ie. send Randolph to Indiana for a pick (with them using $2m of their Troy Murphy TPE).

Gallo/Azubuike/Curry/Mason/Turiaf + pick(s) + cash to Denver for Melo/Billups

Okay. You've clearly thought this all through a lot better than I have. Now do one where we keep Gallo and trade for Camby instead of Melo. Building around a Stoudemire/Chandler/Anthony frontcourt is an efficiency disaster. Felton is good enough to commit to, and so is D'Antoni if you give him a big he'll ever actually play.

[SMC]

The only thing you can really say with certainty is that he hasn't definitively ruled out New Jersey. There's no other explanation for the extent of his agent's participation in all of this. Whether he's willing to play for the Nets as they'd be comprised after the proposed trade is another question altogether, and the answer to that one certainly seems to be no.

True. I think the only reason Melo hasn't publicly ruled out NJ like he did with the Sixers and Bobcats is that he's friends with Jay-Z and wouldn't want to bitch-slap him like that. But it seems pretty clear that Melo has no intention of signing an extension with the Nets.

The Nets are stupid anyway. They're 18 games under .500 and would be giving up a top 5 pick to get Anthony along with a pretty good prospect in Favors. They really should go the Thunder route, but the Big Russian is star hunting and failing miserable in the process.

[JohnnyHector]

Okay. You've clearly thought this all through a lot better than I have. Now do one where we keep Gallo and trade for Camby instead of Melo. Building around a Stoudemire/Chandler/Anthony frontcourt is an efficiency disaster. Felton is good enough to commit to, and so is D'Antoni if you give him a big he'll ever actually play.

They can easily make the numbers work, but I don't see what Portland would be looking for in a deal. They're barely above the luxury tax threshold and have around $50m committed to the cap next year without Andre Miller's $7.8m team option and Oden's $8.8m qualifying offer. Shedding Camby's 2011 salary won't get them far enough under the cap to make any significant signings, so the Knicks would have to move assets that interest them.

With Aldrige and Batum locked in at the 3/4, Matthews being more than capable of filling in for Roy, and the Knicks having no heir-apparent for them at the point (damn you, TD), I don't see what would motivate them to deal Camby, excepting them having a crystal ball that guarantees them a healthy Oden next year.

Lots of rumbling that the Knicks' fallback plan if they don't get Melo is going to involve re-signing Chandler and adding either M. Gasol (who can't run the floor) or DeAndre Jordan (reservations about giving big minutes to a 40% FT shooter) this offseason. I really think their best path is going to involve a trade that costs more in money (via bad/long contracts and luxury tax payments) than assets (coveted players and/or their non-existent picks).

[Aten]

With Aldrige and Batum locked in at the 3/4, Matthews being more than capable of filling in for Roy, and the Knicks having no heir-apparent for them at the point (damn you, TD), I don't see what would motivate them to deal Camby, excepting them having a crystal ball that guarantees them a healthy Oden next year.

See? It's perfect. They don't have needs at any position, and our best expendable asset is a guy who doesn't have a position. Too bad. I really wanted Camby.

[RutgersJetFan]

The only thing you can really say with certainty is that he hasn't definitively ruled out New Jersey. There's no other explanation for the extent of his agent's participation in all of this.

I think his agent's in his ear about the dough. Ever see that episode where he got punk'd? Melo's not the brightest dude in the world.

[Aten]

I think his agent's in his ear about the dough.

Of course he is. He wants Melo to extend so he can get paid. So why waste time trying to put a trade together if he knows without a doubt that said trade isn't going to result in an extension? I mean, I think it's pretty unlikely that Melo has told Rose unequivocally that he will not sign an extension with New Jersey, but he's going ahead with the negotiations anyway because thinks he'll be able to change his mind with Rip Hamilton or something. Like I said, I don't think Melo is remotely considering the Nets with the trade currently on the table or some variation of it, but there has to be some other thing they could do, some longshot move that's still not entirely out of the realm of possibility, that might sway him. I don't think it really impacts the Knicks so much as Denver, which now might be his third choice should this drag into the summer.