Representatives for Carmelo Anthony will meet with Denver Nuggets management on Monday to discuss the possibility of a trade, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

Anthony is expected to attend the meeting, though his presence is not a certainty. His agent, Calvin Andrews, could not be reached for comment.



 
Anthony

The meeting is being initiated by Anthony, who has grown tired of hearing his name mentioned in trade rumors. His desire is to stay in Denver and he wants assurances from the Nuggets that they will not trade him. Anthony's party expects to get those assurances on Monday, according to the sources. If the Nuggets don't commit to building around Anthony -- and instead demonstrate a willingness to trade him -- he will ask to be moved. Believing he will remain with the Nuggets, Anthony has not put together a list of teams he wants to be traded to.

Speculation about a deal involving Anthony began in May when reports surfaced that New Jersey had contacted Denver about a trade for the two-time All-Star forward. While the likelihood of a trade to the Nets was never high, executives around the league insisted that Nuggets coach George Karl was indeed ready to trade Anthony.

Denver denied that it was looking to trade Anthony, but the rumors have persisted. Detroit recently offered Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince for Anthony, but the Nuggets weren't interested. Denver countered with an offer of Allen Iverson or a package built around Marcus Camby, but the Pistons are only interested in Anthony.

Executives with other teams say Denver's management group is divided over Anthony's place with the team. They say Karl wants to trade him, but that general manager Mark Warkentien and club advisor Bret Bearup are against the move.

Anthony, 24, averaged 25.7 points and a career-high 7.4 rebounds last season but was unable to get the Nuggets out of the first round of the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Anthony struggled badly in this year's playoffs, averaging 22.5 points on 36.4 percent shooting in a sweep by the Los Angeles Lakers