Sophomore Team coach Carmelo Anthony (R) of the Denver Nuggets sits with his son Kiyan during the Rookie Challenge as part of the NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles, California, Friday. (Reuters) NEW YORK: The New York Knicks beat out the rival New Jersey Nets to win the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes by agreeing to a trade with the Denver Nuggets Monday, a person familiar with the deal told the Associated Press. The deal that would finish the season-long trade speculation involving Denver's All-Star forward and send him to his desired destination can't be finalized until Tuesday during a conference call with the NBA office. Assuming it goes through, it puts Anthony alongside Amare Stoudemire in a potentially explosive frontcourt — at a heavy cost to the Knicks, who hoped in July to sign two top stars but came away with only one. The person provided no other details of who was in the deal, which was first reported Monday by The Denver Post. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly on the trade. The Post, citing a league source, said the Knicks would send Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and a 2014 first-round draft pick to the Nuggets, who would get additional picks and cash. Along with Anthony, New York would acquire Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman, according to the Post. ESPN later reported it was a three-way deal with Minnesota, which would acquire Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph from the Knicks for Corey Brewer. The Nuggets have explored an Anthony trade since he refused to sign the three-year contract extension worth nearly $65 million they offered him last summer. They appeared on the verge of sending him to the Nets on multiple occasions, but the Knicks increased their offer enough to land Anthony, who was believed to prefer New York all along. “All trades for coaches are sad, there's happy and sad. I'm glad it's over, I'm glad it's an opportunity to reinvent,” Denver coach George Karl said as he got into his SUV outside the Pepsi Center Monday. “I think everybody handled it as classy as you can handle it. There's some sadness to it, there always will be. In the same, it's time to move on, reinvent.” Noah to return Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, who has missed 30 NBA games after surgery on his right thumb, will return Wednesday when the Bulls play at Toronto, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau told ESPN Monday. Thibodeau said Noah was cleared to play last week but was rested until after the break for the NBA All-Star Game Sunday. Noah, the son of French tennis legend Yannick Noah, was averaging 14 points and 11.7 rebounds a game before undergoing an operation to repair torn right hand and thumb ligaments. he has not played since Dec. 15. He had been working on his fitness and practicing shots after Bulls workouts. Without Noah, the Bulls have gone 22-8 and are 38-16, the third-best record in the Eastern Conference behind fellow division leaders Boston and Miami. Carlos Boozer has played only nine games alongside Noah, but if the two can quickly blend well, Chicago could threaten the conference leaders.
