Host Brandon Contes kicked things off talking about the Jets their win against the Chiefs earlier in the day, then spoke with author and former Sports Radio NY staff writer Jeff Freier about his recently released book Jets Underground. Brandon also talked about the Jose Reyes signing with the Marlins, and the Knicks recent moves heading into this shortened season.

This Christmas is going to be an extra special one for basketball fans.  Fans get to not only wake up on Christmas day to family and presents, but will also get to watch NBA basketball for the first time since June.  Early Saturday morning, the NBA owners and players would come to a tentative agreement to end the 149-day lockout.  The league plans to open up training camps and free agency on December 9th and have the first games on December 25th.  It is planned to be a 66 game season, 16 games less than a regular 82 game season.

The specifics of the deal have not been confirmed yet.  The players accepted a deal somewhere between the range of 49-51% in favor of the owners.  The exact details of the deal should be known in the coming days.  Most importantly, basketball will be played and both sides wanted to end this lockout as soon as they could.  Commissioner David Stern said it would take around 30 days from when the deal was made to begin the season.  In just two weeks, the craziness that we all saw once the NFL lockout ended will be seen in the NBA.  Trades and free agency signings will be in a frenzy as lots of moves will be made.  It happened to be one of the most exciting weeks in sports when we saw all the moves made in July following the end of the NFL lockout.  Plan to seen all that madness come again in December.  Owners, players, and fans are all relieved to see the end almost near.  It has been months of negotiations and meetings that at times had many extremely frustrated and had fans in disarray.

In New York, fans could not be happier.  We get to see 66 games of Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire together on the same floor.  ”Stat and Melo” had Madison Square Garden packed every night for the three months they got to see of them.  There is no question that MSG is going to have the same excitement this season as they get 75% of a season to see them suit up together.  The Knicks have a bright future to look to, but are going to need more than just two stars to win.  Veteran point guard Chauncey Billups played a pivotal role in the Knicks success late last season as well.  This will most likely be Billups only full season with the Knicks as he is a free agent after he makes $14.2 million this season.  The Knicks are going to need a lot more depth and some more size if they want to achieve success this season.  They struggled mightily at the center position last season.  They lacked size and depth to help out Stoudemire in the paint.  The Knicks are going to need to make moves adding depth to this team.  Rookie Landry Fields had a very solid season for them, but was nonexistent in the playoffs and spent most of the time on the bench.  Big man Jared Jeffries is a liability on offense and cost the Knicks a playoff game in the first round against the Celtics.  Guard Roger Mason did not get much playing time throughout the season and when he did was very ineffective.  One bright spot the Knicks did see last season was the play of backup point guard Toney Douglas.  Douglas was very effective off the bench and has a very bright future ahead of him.  The Knicks need help but have the pieces to build a championship contender.  Of course, they will have to compete the “big three” in Miami as well as Derrick Rose and the Bulls and the division rival Boston Celtics.

Knicks fans and all NBA fans are looking forward to Christmas day.  Mark down December 25th on your calendars NBA fans, it is a rare day where you get to celebrate two holidays in one day.  The season tips off at noon at MSG as the Knicks play the Celtics.  The Mavericks will host the Heat in a rematch of the NBA finals.  FInally, the Lakers will host the Bulls in a classic matchup of two past rivals.

New side-by-side video highlight clip from the February 20th, 2011 edition of SPORTSTALK1240. Hosts Paul Revelant and Mike Carver talk about the Knicks Carmelo Anthony.

The Knicks succeeding in acquiring the superstar player they needed and wanted, and the one who wanted them. This transaction furthered the plan put in place by Donnie Walsh and Mike D’Antoni three years ago, when they took over the reins of the team, ” get under the cap and have the ability to sign multiple superstars.”  Though spurned by LeBron James, the Knicks front office managed to pry Amare Stoudemire away from the desert.  That was their one and only free agent prize of last year’s epic offseason.  They now, after much pandering and conjecturing, got their second star, ‘Melo.

Yes, the price was steep, very steep.  Giving up four or their top eight players, plus draft picks and spare parts is a lot to give up for any one player.  The rational for this move is two fold, get superstar number two and set themselves up for the point guard they covet in 2012.  Raymond Felton was playing great this year and provided a toughness and leadership this team had not had since Charlie Ward.  In reality though, Felton was a two year rental and a place holder for either Chris Paul or Deron Williams.  Chauncey Billups, though eight years older, is more seasoned player than Felton and  has championship experience.  Billups is pricier at $14 million for the next year and a half, but again is a veteran stop gap who can shoot and be a leader on the court.  The remaining pieces from the Nuggets are merely filler for the rest of the roster.

The underrated part of the trade for the Knicks is the acquisition of Corey Brewer from the Timberwolves.  Brewer started hitting his stride last year starting every game and averaging a career high 13 ppg.  He took a step back this year, but in the high octane fast paced Knicks offense, he could thrive.  He’s a 6′9″ swingman who could fill in nicely backing up Landry Fields or ‘Melo.  He could also mix in well with Shawne Williams off the bench as another shooter and fast pace player.  Of course, this all depends on D’Antoni’s new rotation.

Now that the dust has settled, it is time for ‘Melo to live up to the hype.  He got what he wanted and now he has to perform.  The Knicks are a better team now than they were before the All-Star break and appear on their way to becoming perennial contenders.  There are a few more moves that need to fall into place for the Knicks to be a threat to the Heat and the Celtics, but they got done what they needed to for this season. I look forward to sitting back and enjoying the ride.

For the past decade, the once proud New York City basketball landscape, centered around Madison Square Garden, had become embarrassingly dormant. Although New York cannot match the championship pedigrees of the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls, the Knicks are sometimes mentioned in the same breath as those franchises because of the many legendary players who have called the Garden home, as well as the electricity and attention that comes with playing in the world’s largest media market. Sadly, in recent years, the focus has been on the talented opponents who have visited New York, and the Knicks’ unsuccessful courtship of free agents. The St. John’s Red Storm, New York City’s most prominent college basketball team, are far removed from their 1980’s glory days of Chris Mullin and Marc Jackson, and have received equally negative publicity as the Knicks lately. Yet within the past year, both teams have received a significant boost in talent, success and stature in New York, and basketball, known as “the city’s game,” is back on the map in the Big Apple.

The Knicks’ run of consistently contending for NBA titles with Patrick Ewing as their centerpiece came to an abrupt end when Ewing was traded in 2000, and the team has not won a playoff series since. The past decade has been filled with losing, scandal, and countless negative headlines, including the bizarre antics of Brooklyn-born superstar Stephon Marbury, the sexual harassment lawsuit filed against team President Isiah Thomas, an ugly 2006 brawl with the Denver Nuggets, and the misguided acquisitions of highly-touted busts such as Eddy Curry, Steve Francis and Jerome James. After Jeff Van Gundy resigned in 2001, the team burned through five unsuccessful head coaches, including future Hall of Famers Larry Brown and Lenny Wilkens. Empty seats were visible throughout the Garden for the first time in decades, and the fans willing to put up with such dreadful basketball were more likely to boo than cheer. Over the past three seasons, team President Donnie Walsh was given the responsibility of gutting the Knicks’ woeful roster to clear salary cap space in preparation for the summer of 2010, when LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, Amar’e Stoudemire and several other stars would become free agents. As the team continued to struggle, fans finally began to see a light at the end of the tunnel thanks to the overwhelming belief that LeBron James and at least another star would seize the opportunity to resurrect such a proud franchise and bring the Knicks back to the league’s elite. When James and Wade chose the Miami Heat instead, leaving the Knicks with Stoudemire and fourteen question marks, the years of patience seemed wasted.

Meanwhile, the Knicks co-tenant at Madison Square Garden, St. John’s, saw an almost identical fall from grace. After the departure of stars such as Ron Artest, Lavar Postell and Erick Barkley, who led the team to an Elite Eight in 1999, the Johnnies were unable to land prized recruits from the basketball hotbed that is New York City, and have not won an NCAA Tournament game since 2000. Their struggles, like the Knicks, were accentuated by scandal: a 2004 incident in which several players were accused of bringing a woman to their hotel room and paying her for sex, resulting in suspensions and expulsions. This incident came months after the firing of coach Mike Jarvis for a series of violations, including a player’s arrest for marijuana possession, another player’s assault of a female student, and illegal payments made to players. Then, just the Knicks organization was infused with optimism in 2010, St. John’s followed suit by hiring head coach Steve Lavin, who gave the program instant credibility with a top national recruiting class.

Still licking their wounds from LeBron’s spurning of them, the Knicks got off to a surprising start in 2010, and are currently the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. As of this printing, they are the favorites to land Carmelo Anthony, which would pair a superstar with Stoudemire, while Chris Paul would possibly join the duo in 2012. St. John’s has returned to prominence in the Big East Conference with Lavin and a roster of nine seniors, including possible Big East Player of the Year Dwight Hardy. While the Knicks have notched home wins against the Heat, Spurs and Bulls, the Red Storm have electrified the “World’s Most Famous Arena” with upset victories over Georgetown, Duke, Connecticut and Pittsburgh. With the Big East Tournament set to tip off at the Garden on March 8, St. John’s may still have some magic in store as they head to their first NCAA Tournament since 2002. The Knicks’ are a potential dark horse as they enter their first postseason since 2004, especially if they are able to add Anthony. After a decade to forget, the mere prospect of postseason basketball in New York is a welcome addition to the city’s devoted and hungry fan base.

Since the off-season the Denver Nuggets have opened up trade discussions for forward Carmelo Anthony. While Anthony not willing to sign a contract extension with the Nuggets in the final year of his contract, the Nuggets won’t risk losing him to free agency in the off-season and will search for the best trade opportunity for both sides.

According to reports, the New Jersey Nets already have a deal in place for the Nuggets, but it all depends on whether Anthony agrees to sign an extension. The Nets found themselves back into the Anthony sweep stakes after jumping out several weeks ago.

The possible Nets and Nuggets trade involves Anthony, point guard Chancey Billups, forward Melvin Ely, Renaldo Balkman and Shelden Williams coming to New Jersey, while rookie forward Derrick Favors, Troy Murphy, guard Devin Harris and Ben Uzoh will be heading to Denver with four first round draft picks. The Nets are 17-40 with the 12th seed in the Eastern Conference and are currently second to last in their division. Having Billups, who I considered one of the best guards in the league along side Anthony could turn them around quickly. The reason I believe the Nets got back involve with the trade discussions is because the Knicks were really close to landing him.

The Nets didn’t want the Knicks to have Anthony, because it wouldn’t be possible for them to compete. The Nets getting back involved with the trade discussions makes this weekend interesting. According to reports Anthony is suppose to meet with the Nets, but Anthony denies meeting with the Nets and the Knicks.

Playing in New York is something Anthony is looking forward to, which makes the Knicks serious contenders to land Anthony in a trade. The Knicks had the whole off-season to make a move and now they find themselves in a battle with the Nets. The Knicks and Nuggets possible trade involves forward Danilo Gallinari or rookie guard Landry Fields, Raymond Felton, forward Wilson Chandler, Eddy Curry and a first round draft pick, which will bring Anthony, Billups, Balkman and Williams to New York.

The pressure is on the Knicks to make this deal. Their front office can’t let the Nets steal Anthony from them. The Knicks had the off-season and earlier during the regular season to make this deal happen and now Knicks owner James Dolan has gotten involved. The Knicks off-season was average, only receiving one all-star which was Amar’e Stoudemire, many felt more could have been done. The Knicks could make up for what they lost in the off-season by receiving Anthony. The Knicks front office can’t let Anthony get away, they need to make this deal happen.

The Knicks could become title contenders if this deal is made. Their currently 28-26 on the season and their sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. This season alone, Anthony is averaging 25.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game and receiving a championship winning guard like Billups, who averaging 16.5 points with 5.3 assist per game, will be helpful to the Knicks.

Anthony isn’t looking forward to staying in Denver, which is the reason he hasn’t signed the extension. Despite Anthony expressing other wise, playing with a team that gives him the best opportunity to win a championship is what he wants, and he doesn’t believe that team is Denver.

The Nuggets haven’t been complete failures over the last several seasons. The Nuggets haven’t missed the playoffs since drafting Anthony in 2003. In 2009, the Nuggets came close to competing for an NBA Championship, but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals.

The NBA trade deadline is February 24th, and come hook or crook, the New York Knicks must find a way to obtain Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. Carmelo has done his part, with the greatest subtlety; he has made perfectly clear his desire to play under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.

First of all, he has no desire to continue to play in Denver, and has expressed this desire through his actions, or lack thereof. The Nuggets, who can pay Anthony more than any other team, have offered Carmelo a contract extension for the last year and he has yet to sign it. He isn’t negotiating, the offer is a max deal, and Denver is no longer high on his wish list. It is even common knowledge in NBA circles that his newly wed wife La La Vasquez, for career reasons, also has desires to live in New York. But for Melo it isn’t just living in the tri-state area, it is about playing with Amar’e Stoudemire, the Knicks, and a true chance at winning an NBA title. Those feelings were made perfectly clear when the Nets and the Nuggets had a deal worked out and the final stipulation, the signing of that Anthony contract extension, killed the deal by his continued failure to sign. The failure of the Net deal opened the door for the Knicks, and with New York fresh off the bitter taste of losing the LeBron James franchise sweepstakes; they must take advantage of their good fortune.

Right now the Denver Nuggets are asking for too much for Carmelo, and they have been all year long. From New York they want Danilo Gallinari, Eddy Curry and his expiring contract, Raymond Felton, another unnamed starter, and 1st round draft pick in exchange for Carmelo and veteran guard Chauncey Billups. The loss of Raymond Felton, the man that makes the Knicks offense go, is a major blow, but it can’t be the sticking point on preventing 26 year old Anthony from becoming a Knick. It is common knowledge that New York has its eyes set on New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul after the 2012 season. If that is indeed their plans, then Felton is only a stopgap measure anyway.

Measured Negotiations
So far New York has played the situation perfectly. The Knicks have held their ground, refusing to roll over to all of Denver’s steep demands. Knick General Manger Donnie Walsh has been in the league long enough to know that Denver is feeling pressured also, even though they are negotiating like they hold all the cards. It would behoove Denver to get something in return for Carmelo, and allowing him to walk away from the team without any compensation is a non-starter. So the NBA trade deadline is noose around the Nuggets neck in the same way it is around the Knicks. If the deadline passes the Nugget can do a sign and trade for him in the off-season, but holding out for that risky option is a last resort for Denver, not a trading strategy. Still the Knicks must be wary of that option in their negotiations with the Nuggets.

The only other team in reported trade talks with Denver is the Los Angeles Lakers, who reportedly are considering a straight up trade of Andrew Bynum for Carmelo Anthony. The good thing for the Knicks is that this trade doesn’t make much sense for either team. Denver already has a solid center in NeNe Hilario, and while the Lakers aren’t playing great right now, their team strength lies in their size. Adding Carmelo helps Los Angeles in the regular season, but in the playoffs scoring won’t be an issue, and defense and rebounding will be at a premium, traits Melo for all his wonderful talents, does not excel in. It is more likely that the Laker trade rumors were just preliminary talks that Denver is now using as leverage against New York. The problem New York has, is that while they have played the negotiations the right way the whole time, they ultimately are in a no win situation. The potential Laker deal, the just reported renewed talks with the Nets, or an emerging last minute player are all potential concerns for the Knicks. Carmelo clearly wants to play in New York however, playing with Kobe has to seem enticing to Anthony, and if push comes to shove, signing his contract with the Nuggets and staying in Denver is always a last resort option.

Reasons for NY Reluctance
It is understandable why the Knicks don’t want to decimate their team for Melo and Chauncey Billups, an aging point guard who may have a hard time running the Knicks fast paced offense. Mike D’Antoni’s offense is designed to shoot the ball within the first seven seconds whenever possible. The idea behind this, score before the opponent can set up a proper defensive front. This is hardly the offense you can imagine Billups running. For the first time in years, New York is playing as a collective. The Knicks are a young team; the players have gelled, are playing plus .500 ball, and are currently the Eastern Conference sixth seed in the playoff race. Even if the team fails to sign Carmelo Anthony, the future for this franchise is bright, the question is how bright? Can New York assemble a true title contender without adding another major acquisition? These questions cannot accurately be answered today, but conventional NBA wisdom says signing Melo is the best shot New York has at winning a title. Remember with the Heat’s all-star line-up, how far can this team get with Wade, Bosh and James in Miami, without equal talent and star power to compete?

The Title Landscape
Based upon the current NBA landscape it is logical that the Boston Celtics would no longer be a factor by the time the Knicks could put the right pieces around Amar’e and Carmelo. That leaves Chicago, Miami, and possibly the Orlando Magic to deal with. That is an ideal situation that New York has to take a shot at. New York may be able to build a contender the slow traditional way, however in todays league, teams obtain their major pieces through trades and free agency. New York knows first hand the success the right signings can cause. Bringing in Stoudemire and Felton changed the team into a playoff contender within months. Between that and watching the Heat, Donnie Walsh knows very well how trades and free agency can expedite the process to title contention.

Just Sign the Deal
This season has been a great improvement for this franchise, but it is just the beginning. And despite the collective success, frankly, there is not a player up for trade that is worth losing Anthony over, even Felton, who is likely the major sticking point for the Knicks unwillingness to sign off on the trade. Despite the reluctance to lose the young guard, the Knicks must pull the trigger, and soon, or risk losing one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA, and a chance to build a dynasty that would have a real opportunity to make a championship run for several years to come. So the Knicks must bite the bullet, ship off whatever players they must, regroup and figure out what type of team they have after the trade, and fill in the blanks from there. GM Donnie Walsh knows basketball, and he knows there are only a couple of better pure scorers in the league than Carmelo Anthony, and when that type of franchise changing talent comes along, you just can’t pass on it. Sometimes it is okay to blink first.

SPORTSTALK1240 host Brandon Contes talks with former New York Knick John Starks, who reminisced about some of the highlights of his career, the Knicks run to the Finals in ‘94 and his connection with the New York fans. John also spoke about the current Knicks team, head coach Mike D’Antoni and the trade talk surrounding Carmelo Anthony.

Hosted by Brandon Contes. The show featured guest was former Knick John Starks, who reminisced about some of the highlights of his career, the Knicks run to the Finals in ‘94 and his connection with the New York fans. John also spoke about the current Knicks team, head coach Mike D’Antoni and the trade talk surrounding Carmelo Anthony. Brandon closed out the show talking some Mets and Yankees baseball as we head into spring training.

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As the New York area recovers from the disappointment of the Jets loss yesterday, many fans’ eyes will turn to the hardcourt, where the Knicks season has been defined by hot and cold streaks. With contributions from rookie Landry Fields, the underrated consistency of Wilson Chandler, the emergence of point guard Raymond Felton as perhaps the steal of last summer’s free agent class, and the superstardom of Amar’e Stoudemire, the Knicks are almost assured a spot on the postseason – excellent news for a fan base that hasn’t seen playoff basketball at the Garden since 2004. But to take the next step and actually enter the championship conversation, another star player is needed, and the general consensus is that Carmelo Anthony is that man.

With Donnie Walsh entrusted with the responsibility of restoring the glory days of the 1970’s to the once proud franchise, he must weigh the pros and cons of acquiring Anthony before the February 24 trade deadline. Wilson Chandler, Landry Fields and Danilo Gallinari have all been mentioned in potential trade talks with the Denver Nuggets, but moving any combination of these players might subtract enough from the team that Anthony’s arrival would not make enough of an impact. The alternative for Walsh is to stand pat and hope Anthony lands in New York as a free agent in the summer, despite a potential lockout looming that would cause him to risk losing a large portion of the $65 million contract extension currently sitting on the table. This strategy would also allow for the possibility of another team swooping in and making the trade, such as the Bulls or Nets. Knicks fans are understandably hesitant with this course of action because they are still licking their wounds from last summer, when LeBron James was all but promised to them before bolting for Miami. But in my opinion, waiting Carmelo out is the right move.

Mortgaging their future and wagering players like Chandler and Gallinari, who could potentially blossom into superstars, is simply not worth the risk at this time. Knicks fans need to ask themselves if the panic and urgency to trade for Anthony is justified. They haven’t won a championship since 1973, what’s one more year? Making a late season trade and hoping the team’s chemistry would take off to a level where they could topple teams like Boston, Miami, Los Angeles and San Antonio in June is simply not realistic. Wait til the summer, hope the NBA labor issues are resolved, and sell Anthony on the chance for success in the Big Apple. If that fails, hold onto your excellent core of players and pursue a low post presence such as Marc Gasol and perhaps a lights out shooter to go along with him in free agency. Patience, Knicks fans. Get a 6 seed, enjoy meaningful basketball at MSG this spring, then reassess over the summer and build a legitimate title contender that will challenge the beasts of the East in 2011.

Hosted by Kevin Cunningham and Justin Zucker. After announcing the launch of their Labrynth Radio website, the first show of the new year kicked things off with some analysis on the Jets first round playoff matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, including a caller from the Indy area offering his take on the game. Following the NFL football talk that dominated the first half of the program, the guys got into some Knicks talk, including the possibility of Carmelo Anthony coming to the Garden. Talk about the New York Islanders closed out the show before some last minute talk about the Jets chances in next week’s first round of the NFL playoffs.

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Denver Nuggets, forward, Carmelo Anthony is close to becoming a member of the New Jersey Nets. This trade will involve four teams. If this trade falls through, the Nuggets would receive Derrick Favors, who happens to be a rookie that was drafted ninth overall by the Nets in the 2010 NBA Draft. Nuggets would also get Andrei Kirilenko and several first round picks from the Utah Jazz.

The Charlotte Bobcats would get point guard, Devin Harris, from the Nets. Harris is a promising point guard that has a bright future. The Jazz would receive forward Boris Diaw from the Bobcats.

After looking at the big picture, the Nuggets look like they’ll be receiving a good package of players. This would make sense on there part, but the Nets should be concern. The Nets are a team that’s rebuilding and trading away Favors and Harris can stunt their growth as a team.

Anthony wants to win and with the Nets trading away their first round pick can possibility make Anthony unhappy just like in Denver. I understand the Nets can use Anthony, because they’ll be able to sell tickets, but I’m not sure if this is a winning opportunity for him.

The Nuggets weren’t able to make a championship appearance because of their lack of effort from their players. Anthony could be possibility entering a worse situation in New Jersey. At least the Nuggets were able to make the NBA Western Conference Finals, the Nets can still miss the post-season with Anthony on their team.

The New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls; those are the teams that should be on Anthony radar. The Knicks were able to sign forward Amare Stoudemire that averaged 23 points and 8 rebounds last season with the Phoenix Suns. The Bulls signed forward Carlos Boozer who averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds with the Utah Jazz last season. Anthony would have a better chance of succeeding with those two teams than with the Nets.