It became pretty clear once Carmelo Anthony declined to sign the Nuggets’ three-year extension that he wasn’t going to be in Denver next season. The question was when he would leave and where he would go.

My position has always been that if Anthony went into the season as a Nugget, that it would be tough for new GM Masai Ujiri to trade him before the February deadline since it would essentially signal to the team’s fan base that he was giving up on the season at a point where they’ll probably be comfortably in the playoffs. Without a public statement from Carmelo indicating that he wanted a trade, the fan base could revolt.

Now, as Chris Sheridan writes, Anthony is making his attentions clear, but he’s not going public…

Carmelo Anthony has told the Denver Nuggets he will not sign the nearly $65 million contract extension he has been offered unless he is traded to the New York Knicks, a source told ESPN.com on Sunday.

And while other franchises might be able to make better offers, Anthony will not agree to sign anywhere long-term unless he is dealt to New York, according to the source, who has been privy to private discussions between Anthony, his representatives and the Nuggets organization.

So who is releasing this information? One would think that to be “privy to private discussions,” the source would have to be a part of Anthony’s camp or a member of the Nuggets. I don’t think that the team would leak this info unless they want to prepare the fan base for a less-than-fair-value trade. More likely, this is Carmelo greasing the wheels for a trade to the Big Apple by putting pressure on the organization to swing a deal.

For what it’s worth, the Denver Post has sources that refuted Sheridan’s claims:

A source told ESPN.com that Anthony will sign a three-year, $65 million contract extension only if he’s traded to the Knicks. But on Sunday afternoon, multiple sources refuted this alleged ultimatum to The Denver Post.

The same piece has a quote from Ujiri that sums it up:

“I have a special relationship with the kid. It’s been a joy. In your mind, you wish it was different, but the situation is what it is. Yes, I love (Melo) to death, and sometimes you wish it was different. But I have to do my job.”

“…but the situation is what it is.”

That pretty much says it all. It looks like ‘Melo will be a Knick (or maybe a Net) by the end of February.