Report: Nets Working On Multi-Team Trade To Acquire Carmelo Anthony

A couple days ago, we noted that the New Jersey Nets have become the leader, in most people's eyes, in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes. Now, the Nets are making progress on putting some sort of trade with the Denver Nuggets -- and other teams -- together.

Via Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski:

The New Jersey Nets are working feverishly to acquire All-Star Carmelo Anthony and are in the construction stage of a complicated, multi-team trade, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

Nothing is imminent in the next 24 hours, but Denver and New Jersey are having ongoing discussions centered on No. 3 overall pick Derrick Favors and future first-round picks going back to the Nuggets. The two teams are engaging third - and possibly even fourth teams - to complete what one front-office source described as a "very complicated" deal.

ESPN's Marc Stein is reporting the other teams involved in the proposed trade are Utah and Charlotte. The Nuggets would receive Favors from the Nets, Andrei Kirilenko and his expiring contract from the Jazz and multiple first-round picks. Stein also reports that the Nets would send Devin Harris to the Bobcats, with Boris Diaw going to the Jazz. 

From this vantage point, that seems like a lot for the Nets to give up for Anthony.

Anthony had previously only been willing to sign a contract extension with the Knicks or Bulls, but according to Wojnarowski's report, he is now "more comfortable" with signing an extension with the Nets if he is traded there. 

SB Nation's Nets blog Nets Daily is concerned about the inclusion of Favors in a potential Anthony trade, noting that most recent trades involving superstar players do not involve high draft picks like him. 

So if Favors were included in a deal for Anthony, it would not fit with the recent history of big trades.  And note as well that this would most likely have to be a sign-and-trade, meaning Anthony would have to agree to go along.  Is he likely to agree to a lop-sided trade where his new team would be giving up key pieces? You'd think not.