Per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports…
Before resuming trade talks for Carmelo Anthony on Monday, the Denver Nuggets delivered a stern warning to the New Jersey Nets: Unless the public nature of these trade discussions becomes private, be warned that we will send Anthony to the New York Knicks.
Nothing else the Nuggets could’ve said would send such chills of unease through the Nets, and that’s why Denver made the threat, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
Would the Nuggets do such a thing out of spite? Would they take a lesser package out of vengeance? No one could be sure, but it sure delivered one more element of drama and intrigue to these trade talks.
This is an interesting turn of events. Apparently, the Nuggets don’t like feeling the pressure to get this deal done and are intent on taking their sweet time getting the best deal they can. However, to threaten to take a lesser deal (from the Knicks) out of spite is pretty childish, and a slap in the face of the Nugget fan base, which is already having to watch its team crumble before its very eyes.
I don’t like these long, drawn-out trade negotiations, but the Nuggets have to do what the Nuggets have to do, and let’s not forget that Denver’s new GM, Masai Ujiri, isn’t a salty vet. This is likely the biggest move of his career, so he’s going to be careful.
Another interesting note from the Yahoo piece:
The Knicks remain Anthony’s preferred destination, but Ujiri has told Knicks president Donnie Walsh that his team doesn’t have the assets Denver wants. When Walsh has asked Ujiri to provide him with a list of the Nuggets’ desires, whether it be draft picks or specific players from other teams, sources said Ujiri has been unresponsive.
You’d think that if Ujiri were really trying to get the best possible deal that he’d give a list of assets he’d like to Walsh and see if the Knicks GM could work his magic.
