This might be a deal breaker

http://twitter.com/stevekylerNBA/status/24274119633670144

"Snag seems to be Johan Petro and his $3.25 million contract NJ, Det and Den need a 4th team willing to take Petro, deal could drop quickly."

WojYahooNBA One front office executive says Melo is "on board" with signing w/ NJ if Nets get Detroit part done. "He wants to play with Rip" source says

Tweet from Mannix: 9pm

League sources say Billups is only interested in leaving DEN if it means playing for a winner. Buyout a real possibility if he's sent to NJ.

http://blogs.northjersey.com/blogs/inthezzone/comments/nets_getting_closer_to_getting_anthony/

Nets Getting Closer to Getting Anthony

The Nets are moving closer to acquiring Carmelo Anthony in a blockbuster deal.

League sources said the Nets, Nuggets and Pistons are moving closer to reaching an agreement on a trade that could include 15-to-17 players, not including draft picks.

The Nets would get Anthony and Chauncey Billups from the Nuggets, and Richard Hamilton from the Pistons. In turn, the Nets would send Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and at least two first-round picks to Denver and Troy Murphy’s expiring contract to Detroit.

“It’s pretty close,” said one league source.

“Something could get done in the next 48 hours,” another NBA source said.

There are many other moving parts in order to make this deal work and the salaries match.

Anthony Morrow, Ben Uzoh and Stephen Graham also would go to the Nuggets, who would send veteran point guard Anthony Carter and Sheldon Williams to the Nets. Johan Petro originally was going to Detroit, but reportedly the Pistons don’t want his salary. If so, another team may be needed to get a deal done.

The Cavaliers and Wizards also have been involved in discussions with the Nets in Anthony talks.

Other names that have been mentioned in talks are Nets swingman Quinton Ross, Renaldo Balkman of Denver and Terrico White and DaJuan Summer.
The Nets won’t make the trade for Anthony unless he agrees to sign a three-year, $65 million extension.

Many have speculated Anthony didn’t want to play in Newark and preferred playing in New York for the Knicks. But the Nets have been proceeding as if he would play for them all along.

They are prepared to send principal owner Mikhail Prokhorov, part-owner Jay-Z and general manager Billy King to meet with Anthony if that was required. But that may not be needed.

No team has been more aggressive than the Nets in the Anthony sweepstakes. They are trying to markedly upgrade their roster to make the team more enticing to Anthony.

“If anybody can get this done, it’s Billy,” said another league source.

King, from his time with the Sixers, put together several three- and four-team deals. If King completes this trade it will put the Nets in good position to land Chris Paul within the next two years.

Paul, who is represented by the same agent and agency as Anthony, is a free agent after the 2012 season. But Paul could be dealt before then if he applies a similar tact as Anthony has in Denver.

The Nuggets were informed before the season that Anthony wanted out. They have been holding out for the best deal possible. It’s doubtful they’re going to get more in terms of young players, salary-cap flexibility and draft picks than from this deal.

Some thought it would drag on until the Feb. 24 trade deadline, but the Nuggets are ready to move because of what’s being offered and they’re tired of the season-long distraction.

The Pistons are involved because they’re about to be sold and want to save money. Hamilton makes $25 million over the next two years. Murphy’s contract expires after the season. If they agree to take on Petro, he would only cost them $6.75 million over the next two years.
Posted by Al Iannazzone on 01/09 at 05:16 PM

GustavBahler wrote:http://twitter.com/ChrisMannixSI/status/24271761298165760

Exec involved in talks: "Melo will sign with Jersey. Nets are completely convinced of that now."

How can the Nets be completely convinced? Have they talked to Melo or Melo's team illegally? And if they are convinced, why hasn't this gone down?

And is anyone really convinced that the dealbreaker is Petro and his $3.25M contract? Russian Billionaire is gonna be held up cause of $3.25M?

I smell falsehoods.

“It’s closer,” one source said

“There could be an agreement by tomorrow,” another maintained.

Multiple league sources confirmed that the Nets, Nuggets and Pistons are close to agreeing on a deal that is similar, but not as exact, as the 17-player megadeal that has been discussed. But the primary pieces remain intact in the deal that now has anywhere from a dozen to 15 players. The prized chip, Anthony, would come to the Nets who also would receive Chauncey Billups from Denver and Rip Hamilton from Detroit.

That backcourt, the Nets have felt, would be enough to convince Anthony to accept an extension to play in New Jersey. The Nets, from the very first day, have been confident Anthony would be agreeable and their confidence apparently is about to be rewarded.

“There are a few matters the Nets still have to clean up,” a source maintained.

One matter was Detroit’s reluctance to accept Johan Petro in the deal but a source maintained that the matter could be resolved.

“No details but it is close,” one executive said.

There also seemed to be the matter of where exactly Troy Murphy would end up with his expiring $11.9 million contract. Detroit seemed to be the apparent choice but there was a scenario of him going to Cleveland, which is armed with a $14.5 million trade exception. Now it seems he is back going to Detroit.

Insiders insist that Detroit’s reluctance to part with a first rounder to be rerouted to Denver would not stop the deal. And Detroit’s most anxious to shed Hamilton’s salary, which called for $25 million for the two years beyond this.

The lesser pieces in the deal have changed. The Nets still are sending Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Anthony Morrow and at least two first rounders to Denver and Murphy to Detroit. Stephen Graham, Ben Uzoh also go out, apparently to Denver.

“A Billy King special,” one source maintained of the deal’s magnitude – King put together numerous multi-player deals with the Sixers.

One player involved in the trade, who asked for anonymity, insisted he was simply told to “stand by” by his representative today.

So far, the largest in NBA history, is a 5-team, 13-player deal in 2005.

The Nuggets, home to New Orleans tonight, have had a 3-year, $65 million extension on the table for Anthony since June. Billups had balked at leaving Denver but he does not have a no trade clause.

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/nets/carmelo_closer_to_becoming_net_ZCYZCmCRwYbbSwvjsZvUOM#ixzz1Aatgp8A7

Uptown wrote:My biggest fear was that Melo would get so frustrated in Denver as the season mounts that he would give in and accept a trade NJ if NY couldn't come to the table with an acceptable trade for Denver.

Tell me how the Nets with Melo and Lopez are anywhere close to a Championship? Also, I laugh at the notion that Melo will play for the Nets because Hamilton is coming too. Rip Hamilton? Really? I mean he is a nice player but Rip Hamilton? I am just guessing but I bet Melo would be interested in playing with Amare over Rip. r

I am not buying this at all.

NY can trade them 2-3 NBA ready players, cap space and a pick, that is better than what they are supposedly going to get.

GustavBahler wrote:

skeng wrote:I wouldn't mind having UK cleansed of this melo BS

Might not have to wait too long.

get ready for the plan B option threads

skeng wrote:I wouldn't mind having UK cleansed of this melo BS

Me neither man--this was going to be much worse than lebron becasue it was taking away from a very good team this year. If the deal does go down--I hope the KNicks next move is to look for some kind of Pau Gasol trade(no not Pau himself) but a similar move that the Lakers pulled off to get a big man--if that does not happen--lets go out and try to get a Jason Thompson and go into FA looking at a lot of players. I like to think we can be really picky either we get what we want or we just look for a smaller deal for this year and deal with next year next year.