Category: Rumors & Gossip (Page 20 of 225)

Carmelo disingenuous when talking about potential trade

Denver Nuggets Carmelo Anthony (C) breaks free from San Antonio Spurs Matt Bonner (C) and Ime Udoka during the second half in a matchup between division leaders at the Pepsi Center in Denver on February 3, 2009. Denver beat San Antonio 104-96 as Spurs Tim Duncan and Tony Parker did not play. (UPI Photo/Gary C. Caskey) Photo via Newscom Photo via Newscom

Carmelo Anthony showed up at the Nuggets’ media day on Monday and fielded a few questions.

“I’m here today. Whatever the future holds, it holds,” Anthony said Monday. “I’m leaving my options open right now.

“At the end of the season, I’ll sit down with my team, I’ll sit down with the Nuggets, and we’ll talk about it. This has been a long summer. I’m just excited to get back to the court.

“I’ve never said I wanted to be traded. I never once said anything about trade talk.”

While that may technically be true, I’m waiting for the follow-up question where some capable reporter asks him if he directed any of his representation to tell the Nuggets that he was interested in being moved to another team. Reports have run rampant for the last month that his agent, Leon Rose, has been pressing the Nuggets to make a move quickly.

By using his agent to make behind-closed-doors trade demands, Anthony has been able to keep his image pretty much intact, since he’s not out running around talking to the media about how he’d like to play elsewhere. It’s a savvy strategy, but to stand there and say that he hasn’t talked about being traded is disingenuous.

Nuggets dragging their feet in the Carmelo deal

Denver Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony scores against the Utah Jazz during the fourth quarter of the first round playoffs game two at the Pepsi Center on April 19, 2010 in Denver. Utah beat Denver 114-111 to even the series at 1-1.  UPI/Gary C. Caskey Photo via Newscom

According to the New York Post (a bastion of honest, sober reporting if there ever was one), the Denver Nuggets are taking their sweet time committing to the four-team trade (discussed here in more detail) as they see if there are any better offers out there. As it is currently constructed, the Nuggets would received Derrick Favors, Andrei Kirilenko and two first round draft picks, which isn’t a bad haul all things considered.

Marc Stein of ESPN is reporting that the deal is in neutral and that the Nuggets are going to hope that Anthony shows up to the team’s media day on Monday and “beg him to stay.”

It’s not even clear if Anthony has signed off on the Nets by agreeing to sign the three-year extension required to get New Jersey to give up Derrick Favors and Devin Harris to acquire his rights.

Rumored four-team trades have a way of falling apart, but this story seems to have legs, so I’d peg the chances of this getting done at around 40%. This week should be interesting as the Nuggets’ camp opens and Anthony has to decide whether or not he wants to report to work.

Fantasy Fallout, Week 3: Where you must accept Austin Collie’s dominance

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 26: Wide receiver Austin Collie  of the Indianapolis Colts makes a touchdown reception as Nate Jones  of the Denver Broncos defends at INVESCO Field at Mile High on September 26, 2010 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Let’s start with the best game of the day, NO/ATL, where Michael Turner (30 carries, 114 yards, TD) and Jason Snelling (14 carries, 62 yards) wore down the interior of the Saints’ rush defense to triumph in overtime. A few things to note here: 1) Anyone writing off Tony Gonzalez (8-110-1) is making a mistake, 2) Jeremy Shockey (8-78-1) looks like he’ll get some of the short work originally designed for Reggie Bush, and 3) Lance Moore (6-149-2) can still play, and may have usurped Devery Henderson (2-23) and Robert Meachem (1-5) to be the Saints’ WR2. More likely, Drew Brees will continue to take what the defense gives him, which means any of these WRs could go off on any given day.

Over in Baltimore, the Browns were down Jerome Harrison today with a thigh injury, so Peyton Hillis was the feature back and he didn’t disappoint (to the tune of 29 touches for 190 yards and a TD). Baltimore’s rush defense isn’t as good as its reputation, so I tweeted earlier in the day that Hillis was a decent RB3/flex start, and he turned in an outstanding game. Ben Watson (5-47-1) has posted 12-125-1 on the season and is turning into a decent TE2 option. On the other side of the ball, Anquan Boldin (8-142-3, 11 targets) and Joe Flacco (262 yards, 3 TD) are totally in sync. Flacco isn’t as bad as he looked last week against the Bengals and he isn’t as good as he looked this week against the Browns.

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Who does Joakim Noah think he is?

Alex Kennedy of HOOPSWORLD says that the Bulls offered Noah more than $11 million per year, and he isn’t happy with the offer.

The contract extension the Chicago Bulls offered Joakim Noah several weeks ago was actually a five-year, $57 million deal. Noah isn’t happy.

Wow, I think that’s more than fair for a offensively-challenged center who averaged 10.7 points and 11.0 rebounds per game last season. Sure, he’s great defensively and brings a lot of energy, but that’s why the Bulls’ offer is fair. When you start getting into the $12-$14 M per season range, you have to be a complete player. And as good as Noah is, he isn’t a guy that the Bulls can feed in the post and expect him to score.

Two summers ago, Andrew Bogut signed a five-year deal worth $60 million coming off of a season where he averaged 14/10. This season, he was named to the All-NBA 3rd Team after turning into one of the league’s best defensive centers and one of its few go-to post players. Would you rather have Bogut at $12 million per season or Noah at $11.4 million? Bulls fans might say Noah, but after the season Bogut just turned in, I think most people around the NBA would rather have Bogut (16/10, 2.5 blocks in 2009-10.)

With a new collective bargaining agreement looming, Noah should lock in his extension now. There’s just too much risk involved with all the uncertainty of next summer.

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