That sound you hear is nothing more than NBA teams hitting hardwood as training camps prepare to open. It’s been a wild summer in The Association, as most of it has been tied up with LeBron James and his new gang in South Beach with a continued shift of power to the Eastern Conference. But King James may find it fills up even more in the East if Carmelo Anthony has his way.
In late August, Melo began spreading rumors that he wanted out of Denver. With a year left on his contract, Anthony was interested in a three-year, $65 million extension. He just wasn’t interested in him coming from the Nuggets. The team has begun exploring a number of trade options, hoping to gain some young players in return. That desire has hurt the New York Knicks’ chances of landing Melo, but it has kept the other three rumored suitors (Houston, Chicago and New Jersey) heavily in the mix.
For the time being, any news that Anthony has changed addresses has been kept under wraps. But that hasn’t stopped people from asking. La La Vasquez, Anthony’s new wife, was asked by the Denver Post about her husband’s plans while he was promoting his new reality show.
“I find myself trying to stay away from speculation,” she told The Post. “She’s been with those guys for seven years and she’s played her heart out.”
Melo himself has been pretty low-key on the subject, telling his followers on Twitter: “When I know something, you guys know something. #blankpoint.” At the moment he’s still a Denver Nugget, but it only seems to be a matter of when he’ll be traded, not if. With two of the three contenders in the East, a trade to the Right Coast could make the battle for the top half of the conference very interesting.
Land Anthony in Chicago and the Bulls will quickly become the NBA’s most clickable picks, replacing the Cavaliers as the rulers of the Central Division. Pair him with a healthy Devin Harris and an up-and-coming Brook Lopez in New Jersey and they could be the second-best team in the Atlantic Division behind the Celtics.
Meanwhile, training camp opens next week and it seems almost certain that Melo will be on Denver’s roster. Keep your eyes open. This story will continue to unfold and will have a huge impact on the season.