On the heels of reports that emerged a few weeks ago regarding rumored discord between Carmelo Anthony and the Denver Nuggets, it seems the situation is getting worse, not better.
The source is Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski, who's been in the midst of a crusade against Anthony's representation—who also advise Chris Paul and LeBron James—so take it for what you will. But if you can look past the resentful sentences like this:
Yes, this is how William Wesley and Leon Rose of CAA work now, thick with threats and ultimatums and a swagger suggesting that the sport belongs to them.
...The paragraphs like this speak volumes about the situation in Denver:
Anthony wants to leave Denver and get his three-year, $65 million contract extension now. This partnership is rounding third and rapidly reaching disrepair. Denver is willing to trade Anthony, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin, and start over again, sources said.
The Nuggets made it clear to teams they want young players and draft picks for Anthony, league executives said. The New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Clippers have emerged as the two most probable destinations for Anthony because they have assets that appeal to Denver.
The reporter in question may have his own biases, but it appears he's got a scoop here, as well. The Nuggets and Carmelo look farther apart than ever before, and Wojnarowski lists several teams that, according to sources, would appeal to Carmelo.
Aside from the favorites (Nets, Clippers), Golden State, Houston, and Charlotte each have a chance at the superstar, according to the Yahoo! report. Notably absent on that list? The New York Knicks. It's still early, of course, and Denver appears open to fielding offers from just about anyone. Now that it's clear that Carmelo could be had for the right price, who knows which team might step up?
Anthony's representation would like to control the trade negotiations, but that doesn't seem likely, as the Nuggets management seems less than receptive to the bullying tactics from Carmelo's (and LeBron's) reps. But to focus on what we've learned...
"Where will Carmelo go?" Last week, that felt like a fun hypothetical.
This week, it sounds closer to inevitable.
Carmelo Anthony will go, it's just a matter of when, for what, and to whom. Wow.