With the NBA just days away, I figured I commemorate the occasion with 1000 (give or take) trade ideas venturing from entertainingly absurd to soberly realistic. Today, Carmelo Anthony scenarios.
TRADE #1: THE ZOMBIE THAT WON'T DIE (PT. 1)
Nuggets get:
PG Devin Harris
PF Derrick Favors
SF Quentin Ross
New Jersey 2011 #1 Pick
Golden State 2012 #1 Pick (via NJ)
Houston 2012 #1 Pick (via NJ)
Nets get:
SF Carmelo Anthony
PG Chauncey Billups
Cavs get:
PF Troy Murphy
Los Angeles Lakers 2011 #1 Pick (via NJ)
TRADE #2: THE ZOMBIE THAT WON'T DIE (PT. 2)
Nuggets get:
SF Danilo Gallinari
SF Wilson Chandler
SG Landry Fields
PG Raymond Felton
C Eddy Curry
Utah 2011 #1 Pick (via MIN)
Knicks get:
SF Carmelo Anthony
PG Chauncey Billups
Timberwolves get:
PF Anthony Randolph
TRADE #3: The ATL
Nuggets get:
PF Derrick Favors
PG Jeff Teague
G Jamal Crawford
SF Jamario Moon
Atlanta 2011 #1 Pick
Atlanta 2013 #1 Pick
Houston 2012 #1 Pick (via NJ)
Hawks get:
SF Carmelo Anthony
PG Chauncey Billups
SG J.R. Smith
SG Anthony Parker
Cavs get:
SF Marvin Williams
PF Troy Murphy
Los Angeles Lakers 2011 #1 Pick (via NJ)
Nets get:
SG Joe Johnson
SG Jordan Crawford
The first two trades have been discussed ad naseum, so I figured I didn't need to explain much about those. For this one, however, you may be scratching your head. Well...
Assume Anthony refuses to agree to an extension with the Nets. Talks almost break down, until Atlanta calls, hoping Prokhorov is so desperate for a superstar he will be willing to take on Joe Johnson's massive contract. He is, so the Nuggets get back on board, this time shipping Anthony to Atlanta instead of New Jersey. The Nuggets get a slightly less attractive package back, but they are able to shed J.R. Smith's salary and are left with a commitment to only Favor beyond this season. Atlanta gears up for a challenge to the Heat, Celtics, Bulls, and Magic, and hope a deep playoff push will convince Melo to remain in the ATL past this season. The Cavs, meanwhile, gladly take on Marvin Williams's 3+ years at $7.3 million per to vastly upgrade their 3 spot, while also taking on Troy Murphy's salary in exchange for LA's #1 so that NJ can take on Joe Johnson's contract. New starting lineups would look like this:
DENVER NUGGETS
PG Ty Lawson
SG Aaron Afflalo
SF Al Harrington
PF Derrick Favors
C Nene
ATLANTA HAWKS
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Anthony Parker
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Josh Smith
C Al Horford
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
PG Ramon Sessions
SG Mo Williams
SF Marvin Williams
PF Antawn Jamison
C J. J. Hickson
NEW JERSEY NETS
PG Devin Harris
SG Joe Johnson
SF Travis Outlaw
PF Kris Humphries
C Brook Lopez
TRADE #4: Bill Simmons's Wet Dream
Nuggets get:
SF Al-Farouq Aminu
C Chris Kaman
PG Eric Bledsoe
PF Craig Smith
SG Rasual Butler
Minnesota 2011 #1 Pick (via LAC)
Clippers get:
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Al Harrington
This trade would never happen, but it would give the Clippers an intriguing starting five. The Nuggets would just hope to sit on the Minnesota pick until 2012, when it becomes unprotected, and that Aminu develops into something more than an interesting athlete. Also, a second trade would probably have to accompany this one, since Denver would be overloaded at the point with Billups, Lawson, and Bledsoe (although Bledsoe can play the 2, as he did at Kentucky alongside John Wall).
DENVER NUGGETS
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Aaron Afflalo
SF Al-Farouq Aminu
PF Nene
C Chris Kaman
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
PG Baron Davis
SG Eric Gordon
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Blake Griffin
C DeAndre Jordan
TRADE #5: Melo Punishment
Nuggets get:
SF Gerald Wallace
PG D.J. Augustin
SG Gerald Henderson
SF Caron Butler
Charlotte 2014 #1 Pick
Bobcats get:
SF Carmelo Anthony
PG Chauncey Billups
PF Al Harrington
Cavs get:
PF Boris Diaw
C Desagana Diop
SF Brian Cardinal
Mavericks get:
PF Antawn Jamsion
In this scenario, the Nuggets get pissed at Melo and just trade him for the sake of trading him. Wallace is a decent stopgag, while Augustin and Henderson are still young enough to develop into something. The injured Butler would be bought out so he could return to the Mavericks in time for the playoffs. Michael Jordan believes his sheer force of personality will convince Anthony to stay in Charlotte, so he takes the gamble, along with Billups and the four years remaining on Harrington's contract. The Cavs dump the final year of Jamison's contract for Diaw's and Cardinal's expiring deals and Diop's one year at $6.5 million left (which is horrible, but still a nearly $7 million saving from what they would have paid Jamison). The Mavs add some much needed (though expensive) scoring in Jamison.
DENVER NUGGETS
PG D.J. Augustin
SG Aaron Afflalo
SF Gerald Wallace
PF Kenyon Martin
C Nene
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Stephen Jackson
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Tyrus Thomas
C Nazr Mohammed
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
PG Ramon Sessions
SG Anthony Parker
SF Christian Eyenga
PF Boris Diaw
C J.J. Hickson
There would be no change in Dallas's starting lineup since Jamison would come off the bench.
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