This is where we have come to — the Denver Nuggets and team fans not wanting to get “LeBron’d.”
It’s the result of a few factors: the free agency circus of this summer, the fact that Carmelo Anthony has not yet signed an extension with the Nuggets, and a ton of people willing to speculate. But it all comes together in the Denver Post today, with columnist Mark Kiszla saying the Nuggets should be proactive.
The Nuggets are now considering a strategy to part ways with their 26-year-old star forward, according to a league source.
After quietly gauging trade interest in Anthony for weeks, the team’s consternation has only risen as he has made no move to accept a $65 million offer for a three-year contract extension that was formally presented more than a month ago…
The time has come for the Nuggets to give Anthony a deadline to sign the extension.
Let’s all take a step back from the edge and take a deep breath. I mean, there is no rush here — Anthony could sign that three-year, $65 million extension up until June 30, 2011. Denver has until the trading deadline in February to move him if they think he is not coming back. That is six months away. We are not on that tight a deadline here.
And let’s look at what Anthony himself said:
“I’m just taking my time with it. Obviously, everybody knows I’m loyal to the Denver Nuggets community and to the Denver Nuggets. I’ve shown that over my seven-year stint here. I don’t think anybody can question that. But at this point in time, I have to do what’s best for me and my family. I’m just taking my time, figuring out if I want to take that extension or not.”
He sounds conflicted, which is pretty much what happens to all of us when faced with a life-altering decisions. He has a wife now (a wife from New York, so have fun with that). The Nuggets are stuck in the middle, being good but not on a path to move to the Lakers tier of elite in the West, if anything Denver is aging. Maybe on the court Anthony wants a fresh start. But he also realizes that could come at a steep financial price. If he leaves as a free agent whatever max deal he can sign under a new Collective Bargaining Agreement will almost certainly not be in excess of $20 million a year like the Denver offer.
Anthony should be allowed to take his time and think this through. It’s a hard decision.
But at some point, in the next month or two, before the season starts, he needs to make his call. Sign the extension or tell Denver management he wants out, or push them to find a sign and trade. Then have the Nuggets quietly figure out what they can get if they do have to trade him. Just be clear what he intends to do, once he figures that out.
The hard part of the LeBron decision was not the decision itself — talking less money to play with the best and go after a ring is not something we should criticize — but the way it went down. Cleveland, both the fans and franchise, were strung along with hope until it was too late and their hopes were dashed on national television. Denver has learned a lesson and doesn’t want to go through that.
Carmelo Anthony needs to make his decision then tell Nuggets ownership whatever it is. Be clear. He doesn’t have to decide today or tomorrow, but he shouldn’t string Denver along for as long as he can
