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Knicks Increase Offer to Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony, Report Says

By Jim Scott | February 19, 2011 2:42pm | Updated on February 19, 2011 3:02pm
Carmelo Anthony will become a unrestricted free agent in July unless he signs a contract extension with Denver.
Carmelo Anthony will become a unrestricted free agent in July unless he signs a contract extension with Denver.
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AP Photo/Matt Slocum

By Jim Scott

DNAinfo Senior Editor

MANHATTAN — The asking price for Carmelo Anthony appears to be climbing by the hour.

The New York Knicks have increased their offer to include three starters going to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, according to published reports.

The Knicks offered Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Eddy Curry’s expiring contract and a first-round pick to the Nuggets for Anthony, point guard Chauncey Billups, Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams, according to Yahoo! sports.

New York upped its offer after reports surfaced that the New Jersey Nets had agreed to a tentative trade with the Nuggets dependant on Anthony signing a 3-year, $65 million contract extension.

The Begen Record reported Friday that New Jersey would acquire Anthony, Billups, Shelden Williams, Balkman and Melvin Ely in a package that would include rookie Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Troy Murphy and four first-round draft picks.

However, Anthony denied that he had any plans to meet with Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov during the All-Star weekend.

New York's owner James Dolan met with Anthony in Los Angeles on Thursday, the Daily News reported.

Members of the Knicks organization have told the New York Times owner Dolan is driving the charge to get Anthony despite reservations by General Manager Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D'Antoni about the steep asking price.

"I know Donnie doesn’t want to do it," a source close to Walsh told the Times. "I think he likes him, but not on those terms."

The trade would gut a Knicks roster that has New York on pace to its top a finish above .500 for the first time since 2001. The steep price doesn't appear to faze Knicks All-Star forward Amar'e Stoudemire.

"A combination of us two would be great," Stoudemire told Yahoo! Friday night. "It would definitely uplift the city and the economy and New York."