Carmelo Anthony trade to the Nets could happen if Detroit Pistons get involved with Nuggets: report

BY Frank Isola
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Saturday, January 8th 2011, 1:39 AM

PHOENIX - The Nets have intensified their pursuit of Carmelo Anthony by trying to recruit the Detroit Pistons as the third team in order to finalize a trade for the Nuggets All-Star forward.

A high-ranking Nets official last night confirmed a reported three-team trade scenario that would result in New Jersey acquiring Anthony and Chauncey Billups from Denver as well as Billups' old backcourt mate from Detroit, Richard Hamilton.

The Record of Hackensack, N.J. reported on its website that the Nets would send rookie Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and at least two first-round picks to Denver and Troy Murphy's expiring contract to the Pistons. Detroit has been trying for more than a year to trade Hamilton because the former All-Star has two years and $25 million remaining on his contract.

There could be as many as 12 players involved in the deal. Several sources have indicated that the Nuggets would like to make a decision on Anthony well in advance of the Feb. 24 trading deadline.

Anthony has made it known that the Knicks are his preferred destination and he has leverage in that he can turn down a contract extension before a deal is completed.

However, Nets officials remain confident that Anthony would be amenable to signing with the team because the club is willing to add veterans Billups and Hamilton.

Moreover, the Nets are moving to Brooklyn in two years and believe that Anthony will be excited to play in the borough where he was born. The Knicks remain active players in the Anthony sweepstakes but they lack the assets that Denver covets, particularly first-round picks.

Last month, Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri said publicly for the first time that he was "listening aggressively" to Anthony offers, which seemingly guarantees Anthony will be moved before the Feb. 24 trading deadline.

TMS wrote:C - Lopez
PF - Humphries
SF - Melo
SG - Rip
PG - Billups
6 - Outlaw
7 - Farmar
8 - Graham
9 - Vujacic
10 - Morrow
11 - Petro
12 - James

that's actually not half bad... they'd definitely a team we'd have to be worried about in the EC if they manage to pull this off.

Seems like there would have to be other pieces moved as well to make this happen, besides their first round picks.

Still- that is a decent line up.

babyKnicks wrote:I thought it had Murphy going to detroit. Still not seeing it.

CrushAlot wrote:

babyKnicks wrote:I thought it had Murphy going to detroit. Still not seeing it.

It worked on real gm trade checker. Not sure if this will get you to the trade.
http://realgm.com/src_tradechecker/3/

That link didn't work for me, but this link displays the trade how I have read it and it fails because Denver is sending out $30 mmpillion and Troy Murphy is going to Detroit?

Am I the only reading the trade like this:
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=23q9jv5

What am I missing here?

A high-ranking Nets official last night confirmed a reported three-team trade scenario that would result in New Jersey acquiring Anthony and Chauncey Billups from Denver as well as Billups' old backcourt mate from Detroit, Richard Hamilton.

The Record of Hackensack, N.J. reported on its website that the Nets would send rookie Derrick Favors, Devin Harris and at least two first-round picks to Denver and Troy Murphy's expiring contract to the Pistons. Detroit has been trying for more than a year to trade Hamilton because the former All-Star has two years and $25 million remaining on his contract.

CrushAlot wrote:I don't think moving Harris should be an issue for them. He left the game again last night and had to go to the locker room with the trainer. I am not sure if he made it back but he is very injury prone for a young player.

Don't be fooled by a ll that pro-net propaganda from last offseason- Harris is not a young player- I don't know how they've managed to fool people into believing that- he turns 28 in February- he's a bout a year older than Felton (yet Felton is never described as a young promising PG)

Also what the heck does the nuggets gm mean by "listening aggressively"?! How do you do that?!