Before Nikola Jokić came into town, Carmelo Anthony may have very well been the best player in Denver Nuggets history. Sadly, though, anyone who was there for the end of his tenure there knows that it didn’t end pretty between them. 15 years after they traded him to the New York Knicks, Anthony discussed his relationship with Denver.
Carmelo Anthony Is Keen on Going Back to Denver
While talking with reporters during the All-Star Break, Anthony gave the latest updates on when he plans to visit his first NBA team.
“I’ll be there soon,” Anthony told reporters, per Altitude Sports’ Vic Lombardi. “…I’ve been looking forward to it. I’ve been looking forward to coming to Denver for a long time.”
When a reporter brought up how fans want Anthony’s relationship with the Nuggets to be fixed, Anthony gave a brief and blunt response.
“I don’t know what is there to fix. I’m good, I love Denver. I don’t know where it went left at, I love Denver,” Anthony said.
Carmelo Anthony: “I’ve been looking forward to coming to Denver for a long time.”
“You don’t understand how many [Nuggets] fans want to see that fixed.”
Melo: “I don’t know what is there to fix. I’m good, I love Denver.”
(📽️: @VicLombardi) pic.twitter.com/ewRSmNjjRe
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 17, 2026
What truly soured the relationship was not only that Anthony wanted the Nuggets to trade him, but also made it clear he only wanted to play for his hometown team, the New York Knicks.
Working against the Nuggets even more was that his contract to set to expire that same calendar year, meaning they were at risk of losing him for nothing. Amazingly, they actually made out pretty well, all things considered. They landed Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, and Kosta Koufos to go with multiple picks and pick swaps. One of those swaps became Jamal Murray, setting the course for what was to come.
For that reason, it’s hard to evaluate Anthony’s tenure with the Nuggets. He brought them to heights not seen since 1985, but his actions left them stuck between a rock and a hard place. The team then gave his No. 15 to Jokić three years later, speaking volumes on how they felt about him.
That doesn’t take away from the fact that he is, inarguably, one of the best Nuggets players of all time. He certainly isn’t the best, as the one who has that mantle plays for them, but it would be nice to see the hatchet be buried once and for all. As much as his fallout with the team sucked, it’s not like he set them back for that long after it happened.
