Knicks land Carmelo Anthony in blockbuster deal with Nuggets

Denver will receive Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, three draft picks and US$3 million in cash in exchange.

NEW YORK // The New York Knicks have acquired Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets in a staggering deal, according to a report on the Denver Post website.

Denver will receive Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, three draft picks and US$3 million (Dh11.019m) in cash, according to the report.

Along with Anthony, who has been the subject of trade talks since he declined to sign a contract extension with Denver in the off-season, New York will get Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman, the Post said.

"I'm glad its over," George Karl, the Nuggets coach, was quoted as saying in the article. "I'm glad it's an opportunity to reinvent. I think everybody handled it as classy as you could handle it. There's some sadness to it, there always will be."

Anthony, a four-time All Star who is averaging 25.2 points per game this season, had made no secret of a desire to play in New York.

He grew up on the East Coast in Baltimore and led New York state's Syracuse University to the US college title as a freshman before becoming the third pick of the 2003 NBA Draft.

"Who wouldn't want to play in New York?" Anthony, who was born in Brooklyn, said last month as rumoured trade offers and demands heated up. "That's like the ultimate dream at the end of the day ... Who wouldn't want to go back home to play?"