Carmelo Anthony Ignoring Trade Rumors, May Help at Power Forward

DENVER -- Carmelo Anthony doesn't mind the trade rumors. He does mind playing power forward.

Nevertheless, Anthony, Denver's starting small forward, is resigned to having to slide over and battle big men more often with Nuggets power forwards Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen out with knee injuries to start the season.

"I try to stay away from that position as much as possible,'' Anthony said after practice Wednesday. "I like to save my body. But, if that's what it comes down to, I'll have to play some. We'll make it work. I'm pretty sure right now George (Karl, the Nuggets' coach) got a trick up his sleeve, when the games get tight, to put me at the power-forward position.''

That is, if Anthony is with Denver long enough for that happen.

Trade rumors continue to swirl around Anthony, who has not signed a three-year, $64.47 million contract extension offer that is on the table and who can opt out of his contract next summer and become a free agent.

Anthony, though, did tell FanHouse on Tuesday he hasn't ruled out re-signing with the Nuggets and that he expects to still be with them for next Wednesday's regular-season opener against Utah.

On the court, the trade rumors seemingly aren't affecting Anthony, whose 23.5 preseason scoring average is second in the NBA.

"It doesn't bother me,'' he said Wednesday, a day after totaling 21 points and nine rebounds in a 130-115 home preseason win over Oklahoma City. "It really doesn't bother me. I'm able to still wake up in the morning smile, come (to the Pepsi Center) and laugh and joke with my teammates and play basketball and compete. That stuff doesn't bother me. It's not life and death.''

Just in case, though, Anthony has told those around him he doesn't need to hear daily rumor updates.

"I try to tell myself, people that surround me and my team, I don't want to hear it,'' Anthony said. "If something is going to happen, it's going to happen. Please don't call me with all that stuff ... with rumors. If something happens, (the Nuggets will) call me. As far as my teammates, we really don't talk about it. We come here and play basketball. Since the first day, since media day (Sept. 27), nobody as far as my team has mentioned it as far as once.''


Anthony does admit he wonders at times, "What's going to happen?'' But any of those thoughts quickly disappear once he steps on the floor.

"That's easy,'' Anthony said of playing. "This is easy right here. I know it's my task at hand to win basketball games, (to try) to win the championship ... I'm too focused in on this season to let rumors or anything like that come in and take over. I'm focused on playing basketball and doing what's right for me and this team.''

If it means playing power forward, so be it.

"I can play it,'' Anthony said. "I enjoy that position. But, if I have my choice, I wouldn't.''

There will be less of a choice to start the season. Karl said Tuesday he believes Andersen will be back by Nov. 1 and Martin by Dec. 1.

Until then, Denver's post players will be Nene, Al Harrington, Renaldo Balkman, Shelden Williams and well-traveled Melvin Ely, who looks as if he'll make the opening-night roster with on a non-guaranteed contract. And Harrington has been bothered by plantar fascia in his left foot, although he vowed Tuesday to be ready for next Wednesday's opener.

Regardless of where he's playing, Anthony knows that, with all the big men hurting, he better get some rebounds. Anthony's career-high season average is 7.4, with a career average of 6.2. He said he's "trying'' to average 10.0 this season.

"I got to really focus in on rebounding a little bit more ... because we're shorthanded,'' said Anthony, averaging 7.3 rebounds in the preseason over just 27.8 minutes. "That's one of my main focuses coming into the season to up my rebounding.''

What Anthony claims to be not be focusing on is the trade rumors.

Chris Tomasson can be reached at tomasson@fanhouse.com or on Twitter @christomasson