Monday, February 21, 2011

AP source: Knicks, Nuggets agree on Anthony deal

NEW YORK – Carmelo Anthony is getting his wish, and the New York Knicks are getting a second superstar.

The Knicks have agreed to a trade with the Denver Nuggets for Anthony, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday night.

The deal that would end the season-long trade saga involving Denver's All-Star forward and send him to his desired destination can't be finalized until Tuesday during a conference call with the NBA office. Assuming it goes through, it puts Anthony alongside Amare Stoudemire in a potentially explosive frontcourt — at a heavy cost to the Knicks.

The person provided no other details of who was in the deal, which was first reported Monday by the Denver Post. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly on the trade.

The Post, citing a league source, said the Knicks would send Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and a 2014 first-round draft pick to the Nuggets, who would get additional picks and cash.

Along with Anthony, New York would acquire Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman, according to the Post.

ESPN later reported it was a three-way deal with Minnesota, which would acquire Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph from the Knicks for Corey Brewer.

The Nuggets have explored an Anthony trade since he refused to sign the three-year contract extension worth nearly $65 million they offered him last summer. They appeared on the verge of sending him to the New Jersey Nets on multiple occasions, but the Knicks increased their offer enough to land Anthony, who was believed to prefer New York all along.

The Knicks would hope he could be in uniform Wednesday when they host the Milwaukee Bucks.

Denver coach George Karl said there was "some sadness" to the deal, which sends away not only Anthony but Billups, the popular Denver native. But he added it was "time to move on, reinvent."

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