Melo demands meeting with Nuggets
By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published June 21, 2008 at 5:56 p.m.
Photo by Chris Schneider
Carmelo Anthony, whose team was swept by the Lakers in th 2008 playoffs, has demanded a meeting with Nuggets personnel. He says he will request a trade if team can not assure him of his status with the team.
Carmelo Anthony’s agent will be in Denver on Monday seeking to get assurance from the Nuggets the star forward won’t be traded, a source told the Rocky Mountain News on Saturday.
The source said Calvin Andrews will meet with Nuggets brass, and that Andrews is optimistic he will come away with an assurance his client won’t be dealt. The source said Anthony won’t be at the meeting.
Citing unnamed sources, ESPN.com reported Saturday that Anthony has grown tired of hearing his name mentioned in trade rumors, and he initiated a Monday meeting between his representatives and Nuggets management. ESPN.com reported Anthony wants to stay in Denver, but needs an assurance or else he will ask to be traded.
Messages were left for Andrews. He responded by text mail, writing he is going to Denver due to Anthony’s hearing Tuesday regarding his April arrest on suspicion of drunk driving.
“I am only coming to Denver to support Melo on his DUI court case on Tuesday,’’ Andrews wrote. “Any planned discussions with the Nuggets will be about any penalty if he is charged.’’
While the source told the Rocky the ESPN.com report is “accurate,’’ additional messages were left for Andrews asking him to discuss its accuracy. They were not immediately returned.
A message left for Nuggets vice president of basketball Mark Warkentien was not immediately returned.
Anthony on Monday will officially be named to the U.S. Olympic team, marking his second straight Olympic appearance.
Speculation about Anthony being traded heated up in May when reports surfaced in the New York area about Anthony possibly being dealt to the New Jersey Nets. Nuggets management has not publicly commented on trade rumors surrounding Anthony.
Before Game 3 of the NBA Finals on June 10, Nuggets coach George Karl was asked by the Rocky about the possibility of Anthony being traded. He didn’t rule it out, but said the Nuggets wouldn’t do anything irrational.
“We know we have a good team,’’ said Karl, who attended Games 3 and 4 of the Finals to support his son, Lakers guard Coby Karl. “But we also know we’re disappointed… We’re going to keep all windows of opportunity and windows of advancement and betterment… open. But I don’t think we have crazy guys in the front office who are going to do something wild.’’
There has been talk of friction between Karl and Anthony. During a lopsided loss to the Lakers in Game 3 of a first-round playoff series, Anthony yelled at Karl on the bench during the fourth quarter about what Anthony believed was a lack of moves being made by the coach.
ESPN.com cited NBA executives as saying Karl wants to trade Anthony, but that Warkentien and team advisor Bret Bearup are against the move.
ESPN.com reported the Nuggets recently turned down a trade offer from Detroit of guard Chauncey Billups and forward Tayshaun Prince for Anthony. The Web site said the Nuggets countered with an offer of guard Allen Iverson or a package build around center Marcus Camby, but the Pistons only want Anthony.
Speaking to the Rocky on Thursday, Camby said he hoped Anthony wouldn’t be traded.
“I hope he doesn’t go anywhere,’’ Camby said. “He’s the franchise… He’s our go-to guy. Everything we do revolves around him, especially offensively. He’s a great kid. He’s going to be a future Hall of Famer. I would like to see him here for a long time.’’
Anthony, 24, averaged 25.7 points and 7.4 rebounds last season. The five-year veteran was named to the All-NBA third team in 2005-06 and 2006-07.
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June 21, 2008
6:36 p.m.
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JoeBarryCarroll writes:
Melo is my favorite player in the NBA, and in any league for that matter. I think it would be a big mistake to trade him, though the one package of Billups, Tayshaun and Sheed that was mentioned (probably nonsense) would be welcome. Regardless, Melo needs to realize that none of this would be happening if we would just win some darn games in the playoffs. For that to happen he needs to embrace defense and work on his 3pt shot a bit more this off season. Oh, and the Nuggets need to get rid of George Karl -- which will never happen, but he's the reason this team is going nowhere fast. I hate him so much it hurts. I can't think of a coach who cares less or is more ineffective. Sure, the parts don't fit together that well but he's the biggest problem. One has to wonder why Melo's hands down the best player on team USA the last 2 years and is a second-tier star come playoff time in the league. Sure, maybe some of it is the style of game but surely a lot of it is probably the way he's being used too.
Nugs, please, oh please quit ignoring the fact that we need a legitimate 3pt shooter to take pressure off the 2 stars. (Think more along the lines of Stoji or Redd caliber and less Atkins/Dermarr). And get somebody to play some perimeter D. I know we're in salary cap hell so we're gonna have to be creative. God why did we give Nene so much cash? Nobody would've given him even 2/3rds of what we did, and we could've matched.
we are, as Wayne Gretzky once coined "a Mickey Mouse Organization"
June 21, 2008
7:52 p.m.
Suggest removal
Openminded1 writes:
Ok trade Kleiza to Memphis, get Miller (3 pt shooter), trade Camby, (only for salary cap reasons), get whatever tall defensive point guard out there, and what ever else they can get..Tell JR stop acting like a child and you'll be my starting point.. tell AI that he needs to start acting like a shooting guard..than with our draft pick grab Hibbert or McGee...
June 21, 2008
9:25 p.m.
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moles3144 writes:
Smart 24 and ship him off. Karl needs to go. What about Iverson, guy was supposed to get us over the top and still the same place anthony got us without Iverson. Move Iverson and Move Karl with him. And please get a real GM in. This GM by committee is a joke.
June 21, 2008
9:32 p.m.
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Gean writes:
JoeBarryCarroll I loved your comment, seems like something I would have posted
June 21, 2008
9:46 p.m.
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JoeBarryCarroll writes:
Oh Yeah, and aren't you glad that Calvin Andrews is repping Melo? The same scheisty cat who got OJ Mayo and the USC Trojans in all that trouble buying him plasmas and stuff because he wanted BDA Sports to sign him when he went pro?
Who are these clowns?
June 21, 2008
11:42 p.m.
Suggest removal
den2mke writes:
Wish I could yell at Karl for 'a lack of moves made by the coach.'
Knew I'd heard Andrews' name before but couldn't place it, as JBC pointed out.
Good to see that folks are finally catching on to the fact that Karl is the root of the problem. At this point, maybe it's a long-shot that AI and Melo can effectively co-exist, but we'll never find out if we don't have a coach in charge to force what needs to happen. AI DOMINATES the ball, it's not that hard to figure out what needs to happen.
Trust me, if the Nuggets wouldn't have maxed Nene someone else would have. This is a hindsight 20-20 for most folks. Did anyone realistically know that one year he'd blow out his knee in the first game of the year and contract cancer the next. If the guy could stay healthy he'd earn every bit of that salary, but due to the salary cap patience may have been expended.
Bottom line, too hard to see if pieces fit because there is no coaching leadership.
June 22, 2008
12:34 a.m.
Suggest removal
bras11 writes:
Gotta love Rocky Mountain News.. They might as well have just hyperlinked the ESPN article right at the top. Please give us some meaningful Nuggets inside coverage, I'd rather not rely on ESPN delivering some sort of questionable news. Melo needs to put up or shut up, hes got the skills but the mental game of a 10th grader. He won't get any respect when he hasn't earned any, competing night in night out motivating his team to be committed to winning and getting better. The Nuggets need to grow up top to bottom, they have been a 3 point shooter away for maybe 5 years now..
June 22, 2008
1:42 a.m.
Suggest removal
ManginoTorreta writes:
Blaming Karl for the Nuggets current woes is like arguing a perpetual coaching mediocrity like Doc Rivers suddenly became a genius. The bottom line is that this is a players league now and they are ultimately responsible for the quality of play that emerges on the floor. Bear in mind that if Karl is fired, this will be the second coach that Anthony has helped drive out of town, despite him coasting on the same skills that he came out of college with and not raising his professional game one fraction in that time frame. Unless you count slap-and-retreats in New York and getting DUIs to be part of one's "game".
Whether the report has any basis in fact is irrelevant--Anthony and the rest of the team showed that they will not be ready for primetime now or at any point in the near future when they quit in the playoffs, the one time of year you should leave everything out on the floor. What Anthony, Iverson, Camby, Martin, and anyone else on that team with any pride should have done was say "This was completely unacceptable on every level, both for the team's fans and as professionals. This lack of effort will NOT be seen again, nor will it be considered acceptable." Instead, we get shrugs and complacency.
If the team's salary-hogs had a tenth of the heart that Najera, Kleiza, and even JR Smith towards the end of the season showed, they'd be talking championship, not fussing about getting traded.
June 22, 2008
5:18 a.m.
Suggest removal
BillyBPersonal writes:
I have always been an Allen Iverson fan and I don't think anyone can question his game or his heart. Without a doubt he is the biggest little man to ever play the game. So the question is would the Nuggests be a better team if Melo was traded and the team was built around A.I.? Well, I think Melo is a great player but he is too greedy to be a team leader, atleast until he grows up and realizes that it takes more than putting up 30 points to achieve that status.Melo needs to share the ball more often and show his teammates that he has faith in them as well. He likes to force the issue much too often and takes too many wild shots over double teams. The nuggets would become a much better team if they built the team around A.I. without question. He is a team player and proven leader and has been took a team to the finals and almost pulled it off even with a team that was not as good as the nuggets. I say trade Melo and get two great defensive players in return and put the ball in Allen Iversons hands and the nuggets will get the answer they have been searching for, A championship.
June 22, 2008
7:29 a.m.
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gylizard1 writes:
Just trade him..guys like him are all about themselves anyway..he could care less about playing team ball..he just WANTS it..but has way too inconsitent of a shot to TRULY be the man you want shooting it at the end..look at his number..he always seems to throw up 25 shots..and is lucky if he makes 8 of them. Then chokes at the free throw line too. He will just opt out and they will get NOTHING for him..kind of like Mutumbo..remember THAT? At least with Tayshaun Prince and Chauncy Billups you have 2 proven WINNERS.
June 22, 2008
7:44 a.m.
Suggest removal
nmbronco1 writes:
The Nuggets need a better head coach, not a trade involving Carmelo Anthony. George Karl has not given this team the type of inspiration and discipline that it needs. As much as I like AI's game, the Nuggets would have come further as a team with Anthony Miller as the point guard. Let's see what Carmelo does in the Olympics and how it translates to his game this year. Also, if the refs were more even-handed in their calls, you'd see more Nuggets success.
June 22, 2008
8:29 a.m.
Suggest removal
kstornado writes:
It seems to me when someone demands something all the time and cant look at his own porch and clean it first needs a taste of humbel pie...... for someone that makes alot of money and cries all the time about other people not doing their job (QUITING and not playing defence and everytime gets the ball shoots) and also thinks he's a role model is cheating the Fan who spends hard earned money for a not so good product.......... its the SAME thing year after year get built up just to be let down and the same ole attitude is OH WELL WAIT TIL NEXT YEAR we will do something different but its the same result going home while others play for the finals...............
June 22, 2008
8:39 a.m.
Suggest removal
hikingartist writes:
Who cares? What a waste of time. I wouldn't pay 1 cent to watch someone play basketball.
June 22, 2008
9:49 a.m.
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R8R_H8R writes:
TRADE HIM! TRADE HIM! TRADE HIM! TRADE HIM! I listen to sports radio almost all day every day. I do NOT watch basketball. Cant stand their gang-banger punk-asterisk attitude. But I read the sports section every day. I watch the news for the sports segment every day. And when it comes to the Nuggies and Caramello, it's always the same commentary, "he is an under-acheiever". Highly paid, lowly motivated. Terrible on D. Wont commit. Old SkooL players ridicule his effort on national radio shows. TRADE HIM FOR A TACO. These guys only care about the 'bling'. "Hey everybody! LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT MY BLING! I'M GONNA GO CLUBBIN' ALL NIGHT! I SMOKE TWO JOINTS IN THE MORNIN'. I SMOKE 2 JOINTS AT NIGHT. I SMOKE 2 JOINTS BEFORE I SMOKE 2 JOINTS. IT MAKES ME FEEL ALL RIGHT."
June 22, 2008
9:58 a.m.
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nuggetsteve23 writes:
Trade Karl, Look at the coaching for the olympic team they love Anthony He thrives playing defense and playing well its the coaching here , You going to give up on a 24 year old all star for some old guys billups prince wallace with maybe 2 good years left in the league ??This is the western conferance You have Youth leading the charge, Look at Hornets Portland LAKERS AND HOUSTON AND THE JAZZ GET A BETTER COACH
June 22, 2008
10:07 a.m.
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jbowen43 writes:
Those of you who would welcome Rasheed Wallace, Prince, and Billups for Melo and anyone else are truly clueless. The media in this town is amongst the worst I have seen. Melo and A I stay and you should thank your lucky stars for that.
June 22, 2008
11:14 a.m.
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atm726 writes:
So, he wants assurance that he's not going to be traded... or else he wants to be traded. Can you say high maintenence?
June 22, 2008
11:36 a.m.
Suggest removal
philipwj writes:
Trade Kenyon (the $91M man) at next season's trade deadline, when he would've proved to all parties that he's truly back. Start Kleiza @ PF. Demand "team player" Iverson play PG. Dump Atkins immediately -- Carter is nice as a b/up. Start JR @ SG. Carmelo needs to DECLINE those invitations to play for USA and get some well needed rest, get the gold later in your career!
June 22, 2008
11:42 a.m.
Suggest removal
American100 writes:
Can you say "pain in the a$$"? Or is it that Melo is just a giant a$$. It's both.
Good riddence.
June 22, 2008
12:22 p.m.
Suggest removal
moles3144 writes:
Smart 24 and ship him off. Karl needs to go. What about Iverson, guy was supposed to get us over the top and still the same place anthony got us without Iverson. Move Iverson and Move Karl with him. And please get a real GM in. This GM by committee is a joke.
June 22, 2008
7:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
sf73 writes:
I can not believe how little responsibility George Karl is getting for the failures of the Nuggets. All we heard about last year was how "the new defense will be put into place during training camp." No new defense that I can tell. It came out later in the year that Nuggets did not practice zone at all during the year. He only talks to some of his players through assistant coaches and he continuously croons how the regular season is more difficult than the playoffs. After watching it is easy to tell that he does not stand up for any of his players. The Nuggets are the only team with three players in the top ten in techs(Kleiza, Martin and Melo). In fact he barely stands up.
Now for Melo. This year he had arguably his best all around statistical year to date. Rebounds he was up almost a rebound and half on average per game. His three point percentage is the best it has been in his career(Significantly better in fact than ever year save his rookie). He needs to work on defense/team ball (As everyone and their brother can see).
Young players take time to do this and need good coaches. There are basically two ways to look at this: either Carmelo just does not want to work hard and learn how to play defense/team ball or the coaches are not doing a very good job of teaching him. To a higher degree I put this on the coaching staff of the Nuggets because he does play much better defense /team ball with Coach K. and coaches like "Paup" during the Olympics. Whereas Coach Karl has worn out his welcome at every single stop he has been. How has he done this? By sparring with the star player to the point where he is asked to leave. He almost seems to have a vendetta against these players from his years on the bench in the NBA(A side note: looks like Ray "Ken Doll" Allen did pretty well this year huh George?).
The "Doc Rivers" defense as seen above of George Karl also does not hold water because Doc had no talent outside of Paul Pierce for most of the years he was there. His first year with talent he was able to get them together as a team and come up with something special. George has had a couple of years now with talent almost equal to the Celtics and instead of unity gets into a public battle with at least one player every year. Instead of moving together under a coach that is a leader like Doc he tries the "ol' divide and conquer" routine.
In the end the only reason George is getting another chance is that he was Kroenke's choice in the first place. When he is fired next season with or without Carmelo on the team, after Carmelo and team USA win the gold everyone who is bagging on Carmelo will realize that coaching does matter and that George Karl should not being receiving the pass that he seems to be by most of his buddies in the media.