By Brian Mahoney
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Knicks were searching for a second superstar when Carmelo Anthony became available.
The price was high, but they're certain he's worth it.
"When you go out hunting, would you rather have a bigger gun or a little gun?" coach Mike D'Antoni said. "We got a bigger gun."
The Knicks agreed to a trade with the Denver Nuggets for Anthony on Monday night, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press. The teams were awaiting the completion of a conference call with the NBA on Tuesday before the deal, which also includes the Minnesota Timberwolves, could become official.
Anthony will join fellow All-Star Amare Stoudemire in the frontcourt, giving the Knicks the potent duo they hoped they could assemble last summer in free agency. Instead, they had to give up much of their core, but in return they get one of the NBA's top scorers.
"We liked the way our team played this year and I looked at it and I thought we had one piece that was at the high level of the league. We always wanted two pieces at least," team president Donnie Walsh said.
Stoudemire has led the Knicks to a 28-26 record this season, but said Tuesday they will be even more dangerous with Anthony bringing his 25.2 points per game to join his 26.1 average.
"Every team needs a 1, 1A punch," Stoudemire said. "And so with the ways that we both can score .... we're very versatile, so it's hard to guard us."
Stoudemire said he had "no doubt" the All-Star forwards and longtime friends could play together, and said Anthony would handle the move to New York as well as he has.
"It's what he wants. It's what I wanted, to come to New York and play on the big stage," Stoudemire said. "He has the same type of swag. This is what he wants and he can handle it. We're going to do it together."
The Knicks haven't made the playoffs since 2004, but are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference in their first season since acquiring Stoudemire from Phoenix last summer. He thinks the blockbuster deal could make them better equipped to face teams such as Boston or Miami, which already have multiple All-Stars, in the postseason.
"It's not easy and it's not going to get any easier for us now because the target is on our back," Stoudemire said. "Teams are going to be eager to play against us."
The Knicks also would acquire Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman in the deal that was first reported by the Denver Post. They are playing a heavy price, trading Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and a 2014 first-round draft pick to the Nuggets, who would get additional picks and cash.
But the Knicks felt they had to make the move after failing last summer to land two superstars through free agency.
"Now we've got two guys in our stable," D'Antoni said.
The completion of the deal is delayed while Anthony first signs a three-year, $65 million contract extension with the Nuggets before the trade conference call can be held.
It was Anthony's refusal to take the extension when the Nuggets offered it to him last summer that forced them to explore trading their leading scorer. The Knicks hoped they could sign him next summer in free agency, but felt they couldn't wait because Anthony wanted the extension this season, before a new collective bargaining agreement next summer could severely restrict salaries, and that could have forced him to lock in long term with whatever team Denver traded him to.
So the Knicks agreed to trade four of their top six players, realizing there were few chances to add a player of Anthony's caliber to one like Stoudemire.
The Knicks hope Anthony will be able to play Wednesday when they host Milwaukee. He is expected to arrive in New York to take his physical late Tuesday or Wednesday morning.
New York's once-passionate fan base was turned off by the team's poor play on the court and embarrassing press off it for most of the decade under Isiah Thomas' reign. But in the third season under Walsh and D'Antoni, the buzz has come back, and it's only going to get louder once Anthony takes the court.
"New York City was on fire even before this trade happened with Carmelo, thanks to (the traded players) and I think with the help of Carmelo and Chauncey and the rest of the guys, we have a great shot at it," Stoudemire said.
Though Anthony was the focus, the Knicks are excited about the acquisition of Billups, a former NBA finals MVP and All-Star who remains one of the league's top point guards and will orchestrate D'Antoni's pick-and-roll offense.
The Anthony trade saga lasted all season and often overshadowed the Knicks' improved play. During a chaotic final week, the Nuggets entertained offers from the Knicks and New Jersey Nets, with both owners meeting with Anthony during the All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.
Walsh repeated the Knicks' previous denials that Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan -- with advice from Thomas -- had taken the Anthony pursuit out of his hands and paid more than Walsh would have.
"I'm the one who knows basketball, so my job is to advise him, 'This is good for your franchise,' and I did that," Walsh said.
The Knicks are probably too far back to make a move in the standings over the final portion of the regular season. But they believe they have enough time to fit in the new players and be a threat if they finally get back to the playoffs.
"It'll be up to the players and I'm sure Carmelo wants to come in and win. He didn't come here just to go to Broadway, he wants to win," D'Antoni said. "Amare I know wants to win, I talked to him. I know Chauncey wants to win, so let's sit down and figure it out. And there's a lot of talent there to figure it out."By B
