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Nuggets suspend Anthony for two games

By Chris Tomasson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published June 23, 2008 at 4:57 p.m.

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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.

Photo by Chris Schneider © The Rocky

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.

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Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony was braced for a two-game suspension regarding his April arrest on suspicion of drunk driving. And that's what he got.

The Nuggets on Monday suspended Anthony for the first two games of the 2008-09 regular season. Anthony has a court hearing today at which his agent, Calvin Andrews, said the case will be resolved.

"We take drinking and driving very seriously," Nuggets vice president of basketball operations Mark Warkentien said in a statement. "Carmelo admits he made a serious lapse in judgment and has expressed his sincere remorse numerous times since to the Nuggets organization, his fans and the Denver community. We will continue to support Carmelo as he strives to live up to the high expectations set by Carmelo himself and the Nuggets organization on and off the court."

Andrews said he was hoping for a one-game suspension because "no NBA player ever has gotten two games for a DUI." But Andrews realizes the NBA has come down harder in recent years on those who break the law, and he cited then-Sacramento coach Eric Musselman getting a two-game suspension after being convicted of driving under the influence in an August 2006 episode.

Then-Seattle forward Rashard Lewis got a one-game penalty in April 2006 after he pled guilty to reckless driving after a DUI arrest.

Andrews, who touched base with the NBA, said the Nuggets penalized Anthony now to head off what could have ended up being a similar suspension by the league.

"I think the Nuggets thought it made more sense to be proactive rather than reactive. The Nuggets thought it would be better if they did it as opposed to waiting for the league," said Andrews, who said he had conversations throughout the weekend with Warkentien about the possible penalty. "We went back and forth. The Musselman one was one of the penalties we looked at."

Anthony couldn't be reached after the suspension announcement. But in an interview earlier Monday with the Rocky Mountain News, Anthony said he expected to be penalized and didn't expect more than two games.

"He didn't show much reaction," Andrews said. "He knew (the suspension) was coming."

Andrews said Anthony has a "game plan with his lawyers" and his case "will be resolved" today. Regarding a possible plea, Anthony expects being convicted of "something lesser" of a charge.

The Nuggets won't know which games Anthony will miss until the schedule is released in late July or early August. Anthony, who will make $14.41 million next season, will lose $262,000, 2/110ths of his salary.

"The Nuggets wanted to send a message that they're on top of this," Andrews said of the suspension announcement coming before the court hearing.

As part of making amends, Andrews said Anthony will work with "Alive at 25," a Colorado State Patrol Family Foundation program that promotes safe driving for young people.

"He wants to let them know that drinking and driving isn't cool," Andrews said.

Comments

  • June 23, 2008

    5:19 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HE5t writes:

    Let the Melo hating begin.

  • June 23, 2008

    8 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    cjbrown writes:

    Should have been 10 games, at the very least. That would send a message that the Nuggets are serious, then they should donate his salary for the 10 games to help fight drunk driving. They were probably afraid he'd leap across the table and punch them in the head...ala vs. the Knicks in 2006.

  • June 23, 2008

    10:46 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ghostmaes writes:

    The Rocky Mountain News so far won't allow comments on Presidential candidate Barack Obama being insulted by the Playboy mansion church in Colorado Springs.
    But, feel free to bash Carmelo Anthony instead.
    Really, Rocky Mt. News. Et tu?
    Carmelo is not the enemy Dobson is.

  • June 23, 2008

    11 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ghostmaes writes:

    My mistake. Sorry Rocky Mt. News.

  • June 23, 2008

    11:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Gean writes:

    Makes it obvious that the Nuggets no longer care about winning. I bet Karl was asking for a longer suspension :P

    ELWAY VS. REEVES II

  • June 24, 2008

    12:17 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    angryman1n writes:

    I would personally like to congratulate the Nuggets' Management for their fine display of tough love. I'm sure this will correct the negative behavior.

    Why embarrass Melo by holding him out of the playoffs when you can pull him from thoroughly meaningless games?

    Another fine example of the “Don't Give A **Damn**” attitude of Denver sports! Congrats. Keep up the good work. You're a model to all (at least in the rarefied air).

  • June 24, 2008

    5:23 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    kcm270 writes:

    On another article, we read that Melo wants to "make amends for 2004".

    First, he needs to make amends for 2007. The DUI, the failure to play defense, the complete unwillingness to pass, and drive....

    He could be an unstoppable force. Instead, he's just a spoiled kid.

  • June 24, 2008

    7:09 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hambone writes:

    Yeah, keep defending this man that is still acting like a KID!! He deserves all the criticism he gets until he mans up and starts playing professional basketball, offense and defense.

  • June 24, 2008

    7:10 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hambone writes:

    Yeah, keep defending this man that is still acting like a KID!! He deserves all the criticism he gets until he mans up and starts playing professional basketball, offense and defense.

  • June 24, 2008

    9:08 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    GeeTee writes:

    just trade Melo and get it over with

  • June 24, 2008

    10:21 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Gean writes:

    Yeah just trade him and get all this "winning" over with! I'm tired of it any way, let's go back to being the joke of the NBA and listen to ridicule from all of our smug Celtic friends :)

  • June 24, 2008

    1:22 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    dummas writes:

    it's pretty convenient that they suspend him now...not when it happened just before the palyoffs...the first two games of the season?? ouch!
    I just lost what little respect I had for the Nuggets organization