Carmelo Anthony still hasn't signed an extension offer from Denver, and so the speculation continues about where he will end up and when, with the Nets and Knicks as leading candidates.
But the reason Anthony remains the subject of trade rumors is clear, according to his former Syracuse coach, Jim Boeheim.
"He wants a place he can win," Boeheim told the Daily News Friday. "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."
Boeheim has good reason to gush about his former All-American. Anthony led Syracuse to its only NCAA title as a freshman in 2003, and then donated $3 million to build the school's practice facility, called "The Carmelo K. Anthony Basketball Center."
Boeheim also was an assistant coach for the USA squad at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where Anthony, 26, helped win gold. What Boeheim sees in Anthony - both on and off the court - is a champion worth pursuing, despite his zero NBA titles and some spotty personal decisions, including a fracas at the Garden and arrests for DWI and marijuana possession.
"He is a winner," said Boeheim, calling Anthony "misunderstood" and his mistakes overplayed by the media. "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. 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."
Boeheim's words echo Anthony's sentiments. While he can't publicly demand a trade from the unstable Nuggets organization because he would be fined, the three-time All-Star has said he is keeping his options open and acknowledged the chances of being traded before the season starts as "50-50."
He was on board with a trade to the Nets in September before negotiations fizzled. The Knicks, too, are on Anthony's short list.
Despite his unhappiness in Denver, Anthony is still averaging 24.3 points in three preseason games, highlighted by Thursday's 30-point performance against the Clippers.
Although Boeheim hasn't talked with Anthony about his specific plans, he said any advice he'd give would be predicated on what the Miami trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh prioritized during the free agency process: winning. He said the more the superstars join forces, the less of an opportunity Anthony will have to win unless he does the same.
He also called Anthony "an urban kid, far from a suburban kid," but said that wouldn't affect any decision on his destination.
"I'd tell him to try to get the best chance to be good - whether that's with young players, with draft picks or what kind of players that team can get together," Boeheim said.
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