National Basketball Association

Melo-Drama heats up as trade deadline approaches

Published Feb. 18, 2011 1:28 a.m. ET

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Last summer LeBron James gave us ''The Decision.''

Ever since, the NBA has been inundated with All-Star Carmelo Anthony's ''Indecision.''

The Denver Nuggets' traveling circus rolled into the All-Star break with their superstar still in powder blue, a $65 million extension gathering dust for a ninth straight month and pro basketball fans incessantly theorizing on talk shows and Twitter about where Melo will end up after the Feb. 24 trade deadline.

Each day brings fresh rumors and reports but no resolution.

He's staying in Denver for the long haul or at least through season's end.

He's off for a cameo appearance in Dallas or Houston.

Or L.A.

It always seems to come back to New York, his desired destination, or New Jersey, which has the most attractive package of picks and players to offer - if only they could convince Melo.

Anthony acknowledged after his 38-point performance in Milwaukee on Wednesday night that he has no idea what will happen as trade talks surely intensify this All-Star weekend.

''I'm waiting to see just like (everybody else),'' he said.

Last month, the Nets pulled out of a blockbuster three-team deal that included more than a dozen players. But Russian billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov and general manager Billy King are expected to be in Los Angeles for the All-Star festivities and might get the chance to talk with Anthony there.

If they could persuade Anthony to sign his extension that's been on the table since June, he'd be guaranteed $83 million through 2015. Beginning next year, he'd get to play in his native Brooklyn, where the Nets would love to put Anthony's giant image on their new arena.

If Anthony has his heart set on taking his game to Madison Square Garden, though, he could decline to sign anything for anybody until the Knicks offer him a contract next summer when he'd be the headliner of the 2011 free agent class, much like James was last year.

However, Anthony might make about half as much money in that scenario because owners are making pay restrictions the cornerstone of a new collective bargaining agreement they'll try to hash out this offseason.

Maybe that's why word got out last week that the Nuggets had gauged the Lakers' interest in swapping Anthony for center Andrew Bynum. Or why Anthony said publicly for the first time that he'd seriously consider signing his extension with the Nuggets if he's not dealt by the deadline.

If the Knicks can sweeten the pot to the Nuggets' liking, Anthony would get to play Broadway without having to take a pay cut.

The specter of a possible franchise tag in the next CBA could throw a wrench into things, too. If a team such as the Mavericks or Rockets acquires Anthony as a ''rent-a-player'' for the remainder of the season, they might be able to also slap a one-year franchise tag on him to keep him from teaming up with Amare Stoudemire until 2012-13.

While the Melo-drama is sure to dominate chatter at the All-Star game, owners are keeping a keen eye on what happens, too.

Utah's Deron Williams, New Orleans' Chris Paul and Orlando's Dwight Howard could follow Anthony's lead and produce their own season-long spectacles next season as they approach unrestricted free agency.

At Anthony's New York wedding to TV personality LaLa Vazquez last summer, Paul made a toast about uniting with Melo in Gotham to form a super-team along with Stoudemire to counter the Miami Heat's terrific trio of James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

With the trade talk engulfing them, the Nuggets have struggled to remain relevant this season, going just 10-18 on the road. They've been hit hard by injuries and the constant chatter about Anthony has worn on them. At 32-25, they reside in seventh place in the Western Conference standings.

Anthony's eye-of-the-hurricane game hasn't suffered any. He averaged 23.8 points in November, 24.5 in December, 23.8 in January and 31 in February.

Last week, Anthony patted himself on the back for how he's played in the midst of all this uncertainty.

''I think it takes a strong-willed person, a strong-minded person to deal with the stuff that I deal with and still go out there and go to work every day and perform,'' Anthony said. ''I take my hat off to myself for dealing with all this stuff that's going on out there, and still be able to go out there and play at the highest level.''

The Nuggets have one more game before the trade deadline, on Tuesday night against Memphis at the Pepsi Center. If he's still with the Nuggets, both sides will have 48 hours to make a decision.

''I know something will have to happen, whether I sign the extension or whether the Nuggets move me or whatever,'' Anthony said. ''But, it's just something is going to happen. So I try not to stress myself out about it.''

Nuggets coach George Karl is holding out hope he won't be saying goodbye to his star soon.

''What's funny is I think Melo, the organization and me want the same thing,'' Karl said. ''I think he sometimes just thinks he can be better somewhere else. As a competitor I tell him, 'I think you're wrong, Melo.' I think the best place to be is in Denver. We'll have (salary cap) space, we'll have the ability to make maneuvers in our roster for the first time in four or five years next year.

''But, unfortunately, (with) free agency, we're at the point where we're at the whim of what's going to happen.''

Karl said he's confident the Nuggets will make a playoff run with whatever roster he has on Feb. 25.

''I trust my team,'' Karl said. ''We're good enough to make things happen with or without him. Probably be easier with him, though.''

---

AP Sports Writer Colin Fly and AP freelancer Joseph C. De Baca contributed.

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