Anthony Insists Trade to a Team where he can Win — Boeheim

"He wants a place he can win," said Jim Boeheim, Anthony’s former mentor at Syracuse who also served as an assistant coach with USA’s 2008 Olympic gold medal squad. (AP)

MANILA, Philippines — With the 2010-2011 NBA season just around the corner, there has been a resumption of the buzz about where Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony may be playing next.

His deliberate refusal to sign the three-year, $65-million contract extension offered to him by the Nuggets has simply implied his desire to head towards another direction and play for a franchise who can deliver its championship promises into his young basketball career.

"He wants a place he can win," said Jim Boeheim, Anthony’s former mentor at Syracuse who also served as an assistant coach with USA’s 2008 Olympic gold medal squad, in an interview with the NY Daily News last week. "And I hope he can do that. He's in the prime of his career. He'd be a great foundation to build a franchise on."

Anthony has been a household name — if not a legend —during his playing years in Syracuse, having led the team to its only NCAA crown in 2003 during his rookie year. He has even “donated $3 million to build the school's practice facility, called ‘The Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center," the Daily News reported.

"He is a winner," said Boeheim. "He can help a team win a championship but you can't do it by yourself.

"Saying Carmelo is not a winner is like saying Jerry Sloan and John Stockton and Karl Malone were not winners,” Boeheim continued. “They got places; they won playoff games just like Denver. The Nuggets just went up against tough teams in the Western Conference like San Antonio and Los Angeles."

With fellow stars LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade all settled at South Beach and aiming for a title run in the coming season, Anthony has yet to find a “home” where he can offer his talent and pursue his chase for a ring of his own.

The New York Knicks has revived their effort to lure the 26-year-old All-Star and make their own version of an explosive 1-2 punch with new acquisition Amare Stoudemire.

The Knicks are reportedly staying put on their offer to the Nuggets, handing out a package that includes Anthony Randolph, the expiring contract of Eddy Curry (said to be amounting to $11.3 million), and the rights on a future first-round draft pick. The team is also said to consider including Italian forward Danilo Gallinari in the deal — something that could entice the Nuggets in giving in to Anthony’s request and letting go the do-it-all forward.

The Chicago Bulls and the New Jersey Nets have also remained as viable parties in the cycle.

The Bulls’ recent contract extension with center Joakim Noah may signal that he will likely be kept out of the negotiations, leaving the squad a very small chance of acquiring Anthony with a not-so-attractive cast of trade offers.

The Nets, on the other hand, has been reluctant to part ways with rookie Derrick Favors, who showed tremendous talent and promise during the preseason. The squad had previously tried to negotiate a four-team deal that could land them Anthony until negotiations fell off.

Stoudemire, the Knicks’ newest go-to-guy, has been vocal about his frustrations on why he needs someone like Anthony on their team.

"I don't understand why players didn't come to New York," Stoudemire said of Miami signing James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in a previous interview with the Daily News. "It's the best city in the world. But it doesn’t matter anymore. Those guys are in Miami.

"My dedication is with the city of New York. I've got the city's back. I came here when the Knicks were down and out. I feel the fans feel the same way about me. They've got my back."

The 27-year-old Stoudemire, who stirred intrigues prior to the free agency period with fellow stars Anthony and Chris Paul plotting to establish their own version of a Big Three in New York, has even called on Anthony to head to the “Big Apple” and pile up the wins next season.

In order to win a championship you always have to have championship DNA," he said. "We have guys here that can become better players that can easily become All-Stars if they are willing to accept the challenge."

Source:By ERICKSON BECO
October 20, 2010,