With so much media attention surrounding Carmelo Anthony's trade prospects, the Nuggets star has nearly been forced into publicly announcing his intentions in the way LeBron James chose to this past summer.
Melo, though, learned from James' mistake, and not only won't be going about things that way, but believes that LeBron, to whom he frequently speaks, regrets "The Decision" as well.
"I would never go about it the way LeBron did it. … If he could do it all over again, he wouldn't do it that way — he would do it a totally different way, I can guarantee you that," Anthony told Sports Illustrated.
According to Anthony, his situation is "complicated," and he's just doing his best to make a decision given the futures of the teams involved, his family and the impending lockout.
"Right now it's hard for me to explain my reasoning behind the madness. … But it's a lot of things that come into play. Whether it's the future of the organization or where they're headed or where they're trying to go, or whether it's contractual stuff with players and guys that are up [to be free agents] at the same time. People don't really know that type of stuff. They just think that I'm being stubborn and I just want to get up and leave — just throw away eight years of my life.
"I lie on the table and try to break down every situation, every scenario," he added. "Everything you're saying, I've already [put] thought into it. You don't know what the future's going to bring. That's how I have to look at it, because I don't really know what's going to happen in the future."
The only thing that Anthony is sure of, in fact, is that there will be a lockout — meaning that he has a massive incentive to sign an extension, likely worth $65 million over three years, as soon as possible.
"Oh, without a doubt," he said of a potential work stoppage. "Without a doubt."
As for his relationships in Denver, Anthony is still working constructively with coach George Karl and Nuggets brass.
"If he wanted to know, he could come and ask me," said Anthony of GM Masai Ujiri and whether or not he would sign an extension with the Nets. "There's nothing that's been said in the paper that we haven't talked about already, and there's things that I know and he know that has not gotten out there and that people don't even know about right now."
Still, Anthony acknowledges that he will likely be traded before the Feb. 24 deadline, and while he won't go about announcing it like James, his fate will ultimately determined by factors similar to James'.
"Everybody growing up says, 'I wish I could play with this guy, I wish I could play with that guy," he said. "I've always been an individual — I always did things on my own, I always wanted to lead my own way, and I think I've done a great job here. By making this city fun, making this organization fun and people wanting to watch Denver Nuggets basketball, I think I've done a great job with that.
"But there comes a time where maybe that burden gets too heavy. But that's not going to stop me from going out and doing what I'm doing. I'm pretty sure everybody goes through it. LeBron went through it in Cleveland, D-Wade went through it in Miami. But then they got people. Kobe went through it at L.A. — he definitely was going through it until they got Gasol and they got Lamar [Odom] and all them guys. Everybody goes through it, especially the offensive players, the great players."
Ultimately, Anthony wants to play in a certain city and on a certain type of team — nearly exactly as James did — and in that respect, Carmelo cannot blame LeBron.
"Maybe the way he went about it and the whole situation, I could see why people were mad at that. But as far as him sacrificing and doing the things for that team to be successful, I don't see nothing wrong with that."
Whether in New Jersey or New York, Anthony will be following in James' footsteps — even if he can avoid the pitfalls of "The Decison." How his move is received by the public and how successful his choice eventually proves, however, remain to be seen.
