The Nuggets Beat with Aaron Lopez Newest Blog Entry on Nuggets.com

Here is The Nuggets Beat with Aaron Lopez Newest Blog Entry on Nuggets.com:

Melo speculation borders on comical

submitted by Aaron Lopez 8-11-10

Of the 6.8 billion human beings on Earth, 99.9999 percent of them will never have a chance to weigh the pros and cons of signing or rejecting an eight-figure contract extension.

That doesn’t stop people from pretending to know what Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony is thinking or what his course of action will be.

It’s no secret that the Nuggets have offered their franchise player and three-time All-Star a three-year extension worth roughly $65 million. His subsequent “silence” on the matter has been described by NBA writers, columnists, bloggers and talk-radio hosts as “eerie,” “telling,” and “deafening.”

There are a couple things people need to keep in mind before they start putting him in another uniform (most notably, that of the New York Knicks).

First of all, maybe Melo is simply enjoying his summer. He got married July 10, went on a honeymoon in Costa Rica and made a stop in Puerto Rico. Yes, the money would be life-changing for most people, but it’s not like Anthony is struggling to make his next mortgage payment. He's still playing under a contract that will pay him about $17 million in 2010-11.

Secondly, Anthony has until June 30, 2011, to sign an extension or opt out of the final year of his current deal. Who can blame him for taking his time before re-committing for an additional three years? If he doesn’t take the guaranteed security, he will assume the risks that come with that choice: injuries and a potential change in the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement in 2011.

Like he does every offseason, Anthony is keeping a low profile, so his extended period off the grid isn’t abnormal. He might shed some light on his future when he holds his annual basketball camp Saturday in Highlands Ranch. In past years, Anthony’s PR people have tried to keep the media questions limited to the camp and the kids who attend. It hasn’t always worked out that way, and this weekend will be no different.

Everyone wants to know what’s on Melo’s mind. Maybe he’ll share his thoughts, maybe he won’t. That’s his prerogative – even though some misguided people might think otherwise.