This week, ESPN's Ric Bucher cited anonymous NBA sources in reporting that Nuggets star forward Carmelo Anthony wants out of Denver.
Nothing has been made public since Tuesday to directly refute Bucher's claim, but several reports published Friday should put Nuggets fans' minds at ease.
ESPN's Larry Coon points out that the Nuggets still possess the trump card in negotiations with Anthony:
So unlike Cleveland with James, Toronto with Bosh and the Phoenix Suns with Amare Stoudemire, the Nuggets have a trump card. They can leave their extension offer on the table, refuse to entertain trade offers and wait Anthony out. It would then be up to Anthony to choose between a bigger payday and playing for the team of his choosing.
But such a strategy would be very risky, so the Nuggets could decide to mitigate their risk and deal Anthony this season -- which also avoids the chemistry issues that go with having an unhappy superstar on their roster.
Coon also points out that the lack of action around the Anthony deal (a point that many have taken to mean Anthony won't be back) could also be attributed to changes in the Nuggets' front office. The team team parted ways with GM Mark Warkentien and assistant GM Rex Chapman earlier this month, and Coon suggests that Anthony may be waiting to see who takes their place before committing.
Meanwhile, Anthony's teammate, Chauncey Billups, told the Denver Post that Anthony "has not once said he didn't want to be a Nugget," and argued that the media has blown the story out of proportion.
ESPN's Marc Stein reports that we may not know what Anthony's long-term holds until February.
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