Trade talks for Anthony ‘advancing’
By Adrian Wojnarowski
Talks between the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets and Detroit Pistons on a trade that would send Carmelo Anthony to New Jersey have reached the advanced stage and continue to gather momentum, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.
A number of issues remain under negotiation, sources said, but there is growing optimism a trade will eventually be completed because the Nuggets are finally motivated to act. The biggest hurdle to the three-team trade remains the Nets and Pistons working out the parameters of a Richard Hamilton-for-Troy Murphy exchange. The Pistons remain interested in unloading the remaining two years and $25 million on Hamilton’s contract for Murphy’s $12 million expiring deal, and Detroit president Joe Dumars and New Jersey general manager Billy King are expected to talk again Sunday night. The Pistons don’t want to take back Nets center Johan Petro, who has two years and $6.75 million left on his contract after this season.
If the Nets and Pistons can’t come to a resolution, sources said the Nuggets and the Nets will work on a two-team deal between themselves.
The New York Knicks remain Anthony’s preferred destination, but Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri has told Knicks president Donnie Walsh that his team doesn’t have the assets Denver wants. When Walsh has asked Ujiri to provide him with a list of the Nuggets’ desires, whether it be draft picks or specific players from other teams, sources said Ujiri has been unresponsive.
Anthony’s agent, Leon Rose, has been the driving force behind bringing Hamilton into the talks, league sources said. Rose, also represents Hamilton, and sources said he pushed King to bring the Pistons into trade talks with New Jersey and the Nuggets. Anthony has wanted the Nets to upgrade their roster upon his arrival for him to sign a three-year, $64 million contract extension.
“Leon is driving this one,” one front-office executive told Yahoo! Sports on Friday night.
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