Nuggets and Nets reportedly agree on deal, leaving Anthony to determine his own fate

At long last, a deal is reportedly in place which would make Carmelo Anthony a Net…if he so chooses. According to Fred Kerber of the New York Post, New Jersey and Denver have agreed to terms on a deal that would bring the Anthony trade saga to its overdue conclusion.

However, as has been the case all along, finalization of the deal depends on Anthony himself. Should Anthony give his approval by way of agreeing to sign an extension with the Nets, this is the likely final form of the trade that will significantly alter the complexions of the two franchises (per the Post):

The Nets would send rookie Derrick Favors, point guard Devin Harris, forward Troy Murphy with his expiring $11.9 million contract, rookie guard Ben Uzoh, and four first-round draft picks to the Nuggets for Anthony, point guard Chauncey Billups, forwards Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams, and center Melvin Ely.

The Nets would surrender their first-round pick for June’s NBA Draft along with a pair of 2012 picks (a protected-to-18 pick received from the Lakers and a protected-to-7 pick from the Warriors), and a 2011 lottery-protected Rockets pick.

Ken Berger of CBSSports says that it is actually a three-team deal closer to one that had been in place before the Nets pulled out of talks previously. In this scenario the third team would get one of those four picks to take on the expiring contract of Troy Murphy. Al Iannazzone of the Bergen Record also reports that Murphy will be part of the deal, but indicates that Murphy would land with the Nuggets — a point which has been disputed in various reports.

Anthony will deny it, but he sure seems to have enjoyed this whole trade drama. In the same way some girls like to have all the guys fighting over them — they feign disgust but secretly love the attention — Anthony has said one thing but acted like a guy who wanted to be wooed more than he wanted to choose.

His people said he would only sign with the Knicks but did help facilitate the Nets talks. He kept saying nice things about the Nuggets. He tried to play all the angles.

Now, this weekend, Anthony has to actually make a choice.

Will he sign a three-year, $65 million extension with the New Jersey Nets or not? He is supposed to meet with both Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov and Knicks owner James Dolan this weekend in Los Angeles, where all three of them will be for All-Star Weekend. Either way, this weekend Anthony is going to get what he wanted: he is going to be wooed. Billionaires will be fighting over him.

The time for games is over. He has the leverage of the extension, if he really wants to be a Knick only then the Nuggets will have to deal with them and whatever they offer. If the Nets are in play there is no offer the Knicks can make the Nuggets will like as much as Favors and picks.

So Anthony — decide already. It’s time.