TITLE: Carmelo Anthony Says 2011 Trade Sending Him to Lakers Was “Done” Before Knicks Deal
SLUG: carmelo-anthony-says-2011-lakers-trade-was-done-before-knicks
CONTENT:
Former NBA forward Carmelo Anthony revealed that the Denver Nuggets had completed a trade agreement with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011, months before he was ultimately dealt to the New York Knicks.
Speaking on the podcast “The Why with Dwyane Wade,” Anthony said Denver’s front office told him a deal was in place that would have sent him and teammate Nene to Los Angeles in exchange for Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum. “That deal was done,” Anthony stated, adding that he had not seriously considered New York at the time.
Anthony explained that he met with Nuggets executives after the 2009-10 season and asked the organization to outline its plans. As trade rumors intensified, he provided Denver with a short list of preferred destinations, which included Chicago and the Lakers. The franchise ultimately shipped him to New York in February 2011 after extended negotiations.
Had the proposed swap been finalized, Los Angeles would have paired Anthony with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, forming a new three-star core. Odom, then one of the league’s most versatile forwards, and Bynum, an emerging All-Star center, were integral pieces of the Lakers’ roster at the time.
Anthony spent seven seasons in New York, reaching the playoffs three times but never advancing past the Eastern Conference semifinals. He later played for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers and, in 2021-22, finally wore a Lakers uniform in the twilight of his career.
In a separate scheduling note, the Lakers will open the 2025-26 season at home against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, continuing the NBA’s practice of featuring Los Angeles in marquee games.
Source: Lakers Nation
