N.Y. Fans, Thank Lebron James for Carmelo's Desire To Play For The Knicks

Another day has passed, and as of now there is still  no word of a Carmelo Anthony deal to the N.J. Nets being even close to complete.  The 15 player, 3 team deal that was announced about 2 weeks ago, was supposed to be completed over the past weekend. Then word was the deal would be completed by tomorrow.  In the midst of all the predictions on when a deal would finally be completed, we get an interesting interview from Carmelo himself expressing his "dream" of playing in New York.  And we also have Donnie Walsh and the Knicks, watching the whole situation unfold, patiently waiting for an opportunity to diving in and strike, in order to throw a monkey wrench into the the plans of the Nets.  News recently surfaced that now the Knicks are able to get "2 first round picks" if needed to complete a deal with the Denver Nuggets for Carmelo.

However, last week we felt a deal was imminent with New Jersey because no one could fathom the Denver Nuggets passing on the deal the Nets had put on the table.  What's going on behind the scenes of this trade may be a lot deeper than one thinks. The deal to N.J. would be contingent on Anthony signing the 3 year extension that was offered to him last year.  So if Carmelo's intentions were just to come back home to New York with his wife La La Vasquez, who also from the N.Y. area, this deal would  have been a "no brainer" and Carmelo would have been a New Jersey Net last year. But, the guy who spurned the Knicks last year in order to "take his talents to South Beach", Lebron James, might have left New York a small consolation prize for not signing him in the end.

At the reception, according to SI, before Chris Paul made his infamous toast about one day joining Carmelo and Amar'e Stoudemire in New York to form a Big Three to rival the Heat's, LeBron addressed attendees and drew laughs when he said to Anthony, "If you want any chance against us in Miami, you'd better team up with Stoud in New York." 

Lebron James quotes during Carmelo's wedding combined with the stalling on the trade and with Carmelo being quoted as saying his move for Denver would not be about money, but about the best chance to compete for a championship, gives me the feeling that regardless of what anyone else wants for themselves out of this deal (Leon Rose wanting Rip out of Detroit and the extension signed,  Nuggets wanting draft picks and quality young players, Nets wanting Carmelo) Carmelo is going to do all he can to give the Knicks a chance to acquire him.  By accomplishing this, he and Amar'e Stoudermire can join forces and stick it to Lebron James and the Miami Heat.

I would personally like to thank Lebron James for in-directly helping to recruit Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/basketball/nba/01/18/carmelo.future/index.html#ixzz1BQFpfLqi