Image via WikipediaThe trade finally happened and the way it went down did not surprise me based on what has transpired over the last five months or so. The bottom line was that Carmelo Anthony always wanted to go back home and he strategically planned it and was encouraged by the boldness of his good friend LeBron James leaving a 60-win team in Cleveland for Miami.
I don’t think he realized it would carry on for half of the season. It was his representatives’ mistake to make him think that by turning down a three-year extension during the summer the Nuggets would heed his request and send him to New York before the season started.
I would have done the same thing if I wanted to keep an asset while having a few months to actually make a decision. It gave the Nuggets time to change his mind. It gave them time to maybe win some games and thus have Anthony believe they could win the Western Conference. It gave them time to make Anthony think about that $65 million on the table while running the risk of injury. It gave them time to allow Anthony a view of how he could fit in with Amare Stoudemire. And, most importantly, it gave them a chance to get a multitude of teams other than New York interested – thus making sure they got the best possible deal for a star player.
http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/johnson/2011/02/23/melo-knicks-win/
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