Adrian Wojnarowski reports today that while the Nets and Nuggets work on a potential multi-team deal, Carmelo Anthony “is inclined” to sign an extension if traded to the Nets if they also obtained “significant talent with him.” (It’s here we remind you to believe what you wish when it comes to trade reports; after all, another report — one debunked, for what that’s worth, here — had already stated he’s told Denver he’d only sign an extension if he was traded to the Knicks.) In any case, the Nets have plenty of trading chips, from multiple first-round picks to Devin Harris to rookie Derrick Favors. Only Brook Lopez is not involved in any of the possible proposals.
The Nets’ and Nuggets’ potential trading partners aren’t known, but an executive involved with the talks told Wojnarowski that “the way this is structured now, the Nets will significantly upgrade their team.” And then there’s this passage:
There are no teams involved in the pursuit of Anthony, including the Knicks, who believe Anthony is willing to pass on a contract extension before the trade deadline. With the owners determined to make sharp cuts into player salaries with a new collective bargaining agreement, Anthony’s willingness to accept a compromise sign-and-trade to get his three-year, $64 million extension illustrates his reluctance to enter free agency under a more restrictive salary structure.
Wojnarowski reports that two teams have called the Nuggets about acquiring Anthony as a rental for 2011 title runs — surely those teams think it’s possible he could be traded without an extension, no? — but in any case, while the Knicks have yet to offer a package that appeals to Denver, the Nets and their stockpile of trading chips appear to be very much alive in their pursuit of Anthony.