Carmelo Anthony trade causes turmoil for NY Knicks? Wilson Chandler doesn't like Denver?
As the Carmelo Anthony Trade Turns. Yesterday, we cited reports that the New York Knicks are back in the Melo mix following the collapse of a swap with the New Jersey Nets. Such rumblings are apparently shaking things up in NYC, and not for the better, with potential trade bait Wilson Chandler said to be among the unhappiest campers.
Carmelo.
That's the skinny from the New York Post's Frank Isola, who writes that Chandler, who dropped 25 points on the Washington Wizards earlier this week, is "leaning toward" hiring Happy Walters, the agent who represents Knicks star Amare Stoudemire. One reason? A source tells Isola, "He's really worried that he's going to get traded. He doesn't want to leave New York. And he doesn't want to be in Denver."
Unjustified paranoia? Probably not. According to the Post, the Knicks are likely to include either Chandler or Danilo Gallinari in any package for Anthony, with New York preferring to deal Chandler, "whose past two seasons have ended in surgery." Given that the Nugs are already dealing with such issues in relation to Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen, it's no wonder they'd rather have Gallinari, who isn't a restricted free agent until after the 2011-2012 season, Isola notes.
If Chandler connects with Walters, Stoudemire may find himself in an awkward position. After all, he and Carmelo made a public love connection at Anthony's wedding this past summer, and he's been rumored in the press to have helped kill the first Nuggets-New Jersey Nets trade package this past September because he wants Melo playing alongside him in the Garden.
Stoudemire presumably would like to do anything he can to facilitate Anthony's signing with the Knicks at this juncture -- but does that mean he'll have to turn his back on current teammate Chandler to do so?
The Nuggets aren't the only team that's showing the strain of these long-drawn-out trade talks...
More from our Sports archive: "Carmelo Anthony-Amare Stoudemire-Chris Paul team-up: Don't laugh it off."
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