Updated: February 5, 2011, 11:38 PM ET
Sources: Three-team deal discussed

By Chris Broussard
ESPN The Magazine

The Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks are discussing a three-team trade that would make forward Carmelo Anthony a Knick before the Feb. 24 trade deadline, according to league sources.

In the proposed trade, New York would send Anthony Randolph and Eddy Curry to Minnesota and the Timberwolves would send Corey Brewer and a first-round pick to Denver. Denver would also receive Wilson Chandler from New York.

The deal is not expected to happen until the middle of next week at the earliest, and one source said it could drag out until the trade deadline. Denver, which has been exchanging proposals with the Knicks for the past couple weeks, is weighing other options.

With teams aware of Anthony's desire to play in New York, the Nuggets' choices are limited. With little chance of signing Anthony long-term, few clubs are willing to send valuable assets to Denver.

If the trade with New York and Minnesota goes through, Anthony would be in line to receive a three-year, $65 million contract extension as part of the agreement in what is known as an extend-and-trade.

Since Anthony's preference to play for New York is known, there is some sentiment within the Knicks organization to hold off on trading for him and wait until he becomes a free agent this summer. Such a move would enable them to keep their young assets.

But owner James Dolan has been pressing team president Donnie Walsh to trade for Anthony before the deadline, according to sources.

"Dolan is really pressuring Walsh to get Melo, but Denver has been vacillating back and forth," one of the sources said.

A trade to New York would end the season-long saga that began last summer when Anthony refused to sign the contract extension with the Nuggets.

Late in the preseason, reports of a potential four-team deal with New Jersey, Utah and Charlotte that would make Anthony a Net surfaced.

But league sources say the deal was overblown and New Jersey was actually leaking the story in an effort to pressure Denver's new front office regime of Josh Kroenke and Masai Ujiri into making a deal.

Last month, reports of another potential trade of Anthony to New Jersey surfaced, this time involving the Detroit Pistons. That deal was close to being agreed upon, but Anthony was reluctant to sign the three-year, $65 million extension with New Jersey.

Anthony agreed to meet with the Nets but owner Mikhail Prokhorov called off his club's pursuit of Anthony in a news conference a day before the scheduled sit-down was to take place.

Chris Broussard covers the NBA for ESPN The Magazine.

C - Amare / Mozgov
PF - Melo / Turiaf / Ewing Jr. or Adrien
SF - Gallo / Williams
SG - Fields / Walker / Rautins / Mason / Buike
PG - Felton / TD / extra PG

To be honest though, im not sure why Denver does this. Maybe Minny's 1st rounder is that important to them? Because Chandler is restricted and well Afflalo is better than Brewer. They also have Smith.

Either way, if its true then get this deal done!

nychamp wrote:If this deal is accurate as described in your quote, do it in a heartbeat. This is exactly the type of deal that Walsh's waiting game was meant to yield, only losing Chandler. Obviously hugely favorable for the Knicks. Gallo stays, Fields too. Get it done.

yup... so much for all the experts who thought we were gonna have to gut our entire roster to get Melo here... seems to me like DW played this just right.

bishop wrote:This almost seems too good to be true. How does it work salary cap wise? Wouldnt curry have to go to denver to match melo's salary?

To be honest though, im not sure why Denver does this. Maybe Minny's 1st rounder is that important to them? Because Chandler is restricted and well Afflalo is better than Brewer. They also have Smith.

Either way, if its true then get this deal done!

DEN is getting Wilson, Brewer & a lottery pick for Melo... that's a very good package to get under the circumstances.

TMS wrote:

bishop wrote:This almost seems too good to be true. How does it work salary cap wise? Wouldnt curry have to go to denver to match melo's salary?

To be honest though, im not sure why Denver does this. Maybe Minny's 1st rounder is that important to them? Because Chandler is restricted and well Afflalo is better than Brewer. They also have Smith.

Either way, if its true then get this deal done!

DEN is getting Wilson, Brewer & a lottery pick for Melo... that's a very good package to get under the circumstances.

You're right, i wasn't thinking under the current circumstances. They are pretty much screwed. Cleveland got two 2nd rounders for Lebron, same with Toronto. So compared to that, this would be a much better deal for Denver.

http://basketball.realgm.com/tradechecker/saved_trade/5836339

Successful Trade Scenario
Congratulations on a successful trade.

Due to New York and Denver being over the cap, the 25% trade rule is invoked. New York and Denver had to be no more than 125% plus $100,000 of the salary given out unless trade exceptions were used for the trade to be accepted, which did happen here. This trade satisfies the provisions of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Trade ID #5836339

New York Trade Breakdown
Change in Team Outlook: +5.5 ppg, -0.8 rpg, and +0.8 apg.

Incoming Players
Carmelo Anthony
26.5 year old , 6-8, 230 lb F from Syracuse
24.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.9 apg in 35.2 minutes

Outgoing Players
Eddy Curry
28 year old , 6-11, 285 lb C from Thornwood High School (Illinois)
No games yet played in 2010-2011
Wilson Chandler
23.5 year old , 6-8, 220 lb F from DePaul
16.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.7 apg in 34.5 minutes
Anthony Randolph
21.5 year old , 6-10, 210 lb F from LSU
1.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.4 apg in 7.6 minutes

Denver Trade Breakdown
Change in Team Outlook: +1.3 ppg, +1.1 rpg, and +0.2 apg.

Incoming Players
Eddy Curry
28 year old , 6-11, 285 lb C from Thornwood High School (Illinois)
No games yet played in 2010-2011
Wilson Chandler
23.5 year old , 6-8, 220 lb F from DePaul
16.5 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 1.7 apg in 34.5 minutes
Corey Brewer
24.5 year old , 6-9, 188 lb F from Florida
8.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 apg in 24.6 minutes

Outgoing Players
Carmelo Anthony
26.5 year old , 6-8, 230 lb F from Syracuse
24.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.9 apg in 35.2 minutes

Minnesota Trade Breakdown
Change in Team Outlook: -6.8 ppg, -0.3 rpg, and -1.0 apg.

Incoming Players
Anthony Randolph
21.5 year old , 6-10, 210 lb F from LSU
1.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 0.4 apg in 7.6 minutes

Outgoing Players
Corey Brewer
24.5 year old , 6-9, 188 lb F from Florida
8.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 1.5 apg in 24.6 minutes

bishop wrote:

TMS wrote:

bishop wrote:This almost seems too good to be true. How does it work salary cap wise? Wouldnt curry have to go to denver to match melo's salary?

To be honest though, im not sure why Denver does this. Maybe Minny's 1st rounder is that important to them? Because Chandler is restricted and well Afflalo is better than Brewer. They also have Smith.

Either way, if its true then get this deal done!

DEN is getting Wilson, Brewer & a lottery pick for Melo... that's a very good package to get under the circumstances.

You're right, i wasn't thinking under the current circumstances. They are pretty much screwed. Cleveland got two 2nd rounders for Lebron, same with Toronto. So compared to that, this would be a much better deal for Denver.

Wilson & Brewer are both RFA's this summer but DEN will get their QO matching rights, so their bases are pretty much covered... IMO they will likely sign both those guys to extensions & JR Smith is an UFA this summer & not exactly one of Karl's favorites so my guess is he's gone after this year.

MaTT4281 wrote:

bishop wrote:

TMS wrote:

bishop wrote:

TMS wrote:

bishop wrote:This almost seems too good to be true. How does it work salary cap wise? Wouldnt curry have to go to denver to match melo's salary?

To be honest though, im not sure why Denver does this. Maybe Minny's 1st rounder is that important to them? Because Chandler is restricted and well Afflalo is better than Brewer. They also have Smith.

Either way, if its true then get this deal done!

DEN is getting Wilson, Brewer & a lottery pick for Melo... that's a very good package to get under the circumstances.

You're right, i wasn't thinking under the current circumstances. They are pretty much screwed. Cleveland got two 2nd rounders for Lebron, same with Toronto. So compared to that, this would be a much better deal for Denver.

Wilson & Brewer are both RFA's this summer but DEN will get their QO matching rights, so their bases are pretty much covered... IMO they will likely sign both those guys to extensions & JR Smith is an UFA this summer & not exactly one of Karl's favorites so my guess is he's gone after this year.

Wow, on top of what you just said, I just looked at Minnesota's record: 11-39 which is good for the 2nd pick in the draft currently. I wonder if they are sending this years pick and if it will have any sort of lotto protection. Not bad for Denver i guess.

If nothing else is added for Minny, the pick has to be protected. Don't think even Kahn would give up that high of a pick + Brewer for AR. It's not like he's a PG.

yeah i highly doubt it would be unprotected, but even still how good is Minny gonna be in the foreseeable future? that pick is likely lottery for the next several years at least... i doubt DEN would grant total lottery protection in this kind of trade if there's any truth to this report.

if DEN swings this deal maybe they trade JR Smith someplace else for another pick?