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The Knicks finally got their man, giving them two superstars — with a strong chance of adding a third in 2012.
Carmelo Anthony is coming to New York.
“It’s a done deal,” an NBA source said.
The deal was agreed upon last night when Knicks owner James Dolan caved in and added Russian center Timofey Mozgov after the Nuggets threatened to trade Anthony to the Nets if they did not.
A source said Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov was contemplating doing a deal without a contract extension in place for Anthony — confident the All-Star forward would not turn down $65 million with NBA labor strife possibly coming this summer.
The long-talked-about trade — a three-team blockbuster that includes the Knicks, Nuggets and Timberwolves — is expected to be announced Tuesday, and Anthony could make his Knicks debut Wednesday night at the Garden against the Bucks.
The Knicks traded Mozgov, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Anthony Randolph, Eddy Curry and his expiring contract, a 2014 first-round pick, two second-round picks, and $3 million.
The Knicks get back Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Renaldo Balkman (a former first-round pick drafted by Isiah Thomas), Shelden Williams and Anthony Carter from Denver, plus Corey Brewer from Minnesota.
The Timberwolves take on Curry and Randolph.
The Denver Post first reported the deal on its website.
Anthony will play alongside Amar’e Stoudemire, giving the Knicks a potentially powerful 1-2 punch.
A person familiar with the Knicks’ strategy said, “It sets them up for the future. You have two huge pieces, everything else works itself out.”
The Knicks are giving up a king’s ransom — three starters and their sixth man — but it will be all worth it if they land star point guard Chris Paul as a 2012 free agent, which was part of the thinking.
The deal will have negative connotations only because of the perception that Thomas, Dolan’s loyal friend, was a major advocate.
NBA sources said Knicks president Donnie Walsh would not have given up as many pieces — or at least called Denver’s bluff of trading Anthony to the Nets — had he been completely calling the shots. Walsh often said he did not want to break up the team for Anthony, whose teams have never gone further than the conference finals and who some scouts believe will not fit well into Mike D’Antoni’s system because he doesn’t pass the ball enough.
But the Knicks feel relieved they did not have to give up starting rookie shooting guard Landry Fields, whom they felt was a more crucial piece than Gallinari, a small forward like Anthony.
Anthony stayed in Hollywood yesterday following Sunday’s All-Star Game to appear on Conan O’Brien’s talk show, which was taped before the deal was completed.
“I wish it would just come to an end,” Anthony said on “Conan.” “It’s all fun and games. It’s exciting to know so many people want me to come and represent their city or their organization. But at this point, it’s just, enough is enough already. Let’s get something done and make something happen.”
So it did. The scenario of teaming Stoudemire, Anthony and Paul began at Anthony’s wedding this past summer with the point guard’s champagne toast.
Billups will replace Felton at point guard, and the club does not look at the swap as a downgrade for the short term.
The Knicks still need to add a center to offset the loss of Mozgov. They hope to pursue Jared Jeffries if he gets bought out by Houston, former Knicks free agent Earl Barron, or a D-League player.
The bigger picture to the trade is having a shot to add a third superstar, either Paul or Utah’s Deron Williams in 2012 to compete against Miami’s trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
An NBA source said Dolan was hell-bent on getting Anthony to keep him from Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who has become a rival. Denver preferred the Nets’ draft-pick-laden trade offer until Mozgov was added.