Carmelo Heads To Chicago...As A Nugget

Tonight Carmelo Anthony will make his one and only appearance at the United Center. Not exactly the words many of us wanted to hear after digesting the offseason "Melo to Chicago" rumors. These rumors have gained even more ground recently as Anthony has reportedly limited his preferred destinations to New York and Chicago.
The Nuggets offered Anthony a three-year 65 million extension this summer. He wants the money, he just doesn't want to play in Denver. The new CBA, which is expected to reduce the amount of money paid to players, remains the biggest obstacle in the ongoing Carmelo saga.
Anthony can either sign the extension, thereby making more money that he would terminating his contract, or choose to become a free agent under the uncertain terms of the new CBA. He wants the best of both worlds, to make more money playing for the team he wants to.
The Nuggets organization finds themselves in a tough spot. Do they let Anthony walk for nothing, or cave into his demands? The problem is that Denver still has to look out for the best interest of the franchise, which doesn't coincide with Anthony's demands. New York doesn't have the pieces Denver covets and Chicago is unwilling to part with theirs.

In exchange for Anthony, Denver wants a young big in return. The Knicks don't have one, and the Bulls have Noah. The Bulls just signed Noah to a five year extension and, especially as well as he's played in the early season, aren't looking to trade him. No other team would work out a deal with Denver unless Anthony signed the extension first, and he likely won't sign unless he's dealt to one of his preferred destinations.
Chicago would much rather package Luol Deng, Taj Gibson and their own first rounder and the first rounder they acquired from Charlotte in the Tyrus Thomas deal. Denver doesn't want Deng. If they're willing to unload Anthony, the last thing they would want to do is add payroll in the process. It wouldn't make sense for the Bulls to deal one of the best young centers in the league, and pay a combined 28 million to their starting and back-up small forward. So the deal is at a stand still and will probably never get done.
Anthony has gotten off to a fast start, averaging 24.7 points a game on 51 percent shooting. There's no disputing that he's a great player, but I'm still not sure he's a great fit for the Bulls. Anthony is the type of player that needs twenty shots a game to succeed. Boozer is going to need shots down low. Anthony's hypothetical arrival would come at the expense of Derrick Rose's offense.
There's an old fashioned way of thinking that says for a team to be successful, its point guard can't be the primary scorer. Why? Rose isn't meant to be the traditional pass first point guard. He creates offense for others when he is able to penetrate and allow the defense to key on him. The ball should be in Rose's hands. Deferring to a wing player wouldn't be the best thing for the Bulls at this point.
Anthony and the Bulls will face off tonight, in the battle of what could have been. In due time, both parties will realize they're not right for each other.