Pressure building for Walsh, D'Antoni

The impact of this ongoing Melopalooza on the players is well-documented, but the real Sword of Damocles hangs over Donnie Walsh and Mike D'Antoni. The result of the Feb. 24 trade deadline is sure to affect one of these men much more than any of the players who could be traded for Anthony, if a deal happens at all.

Though there is noted virtue in Walsh's patience with the situation, the longer it drags out, the greater the chance the Knicks will not wind up with that second superstar to join Amar'e Stoudemire in this effort to build a championship-caliber team. As one person with intimate knowledge of the situation said, "This is like gum that's been chewed too long.''

And the longer Walsh chews, the more Carmelo stews. A person with knowledge of the situation said Anthony has gotten so tired of the process - haven't we all? - that he eventually could give up on his main priority, which is to be traded to the Knicks with the three-year, $65-million contract extension. He could tell the Nets he'll take the extension and wait the two years to play in Brooklyn.

The source said the Nuggets are trying to re-engage the Nets in talks about that multi-pick deal that included Derrick Favors. Meanwhile, the Rockets still are trying to sell the idea of swapping Yao Ming's insured, expiring contract, and though it seems the Lakers aren't a real option, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak has pulled off these kinds of deals before.

(Kobe Bryant, who dismissed the rumors involving the Lakers, made his opinion clear regarding the Knicks' wavering over giving up too much for Anthony. "Who we kidding?'' he said. "We're talking about Carmelo Anthony. Let's not get crazy. Carmelo Anthony's a bad boy. You figure it out.'')

Is all this merely posturing? The better question is, can Walsh afford to risk that it is? That kind of scenario won't bode well for Walsh, who still is waiting on a decision about his future.

But if the Knicks give Denver what it wants right now, it won't be Walsh but D'Antoni who will have to face the scrutiny. With two superstars, if the Knicks were not a championship-caliber team, D'Antoni would be on the hot seat.

But multiple sources have told Newsday that there are several hang-ups in the deal, with the first - and undeniably most concerning - being the Nuggets and their defiant stance against being forced into a deal they don't want to do. As ESPN reported Wednesday, Denver is believed to want a larger deal with a bigger returning package of players, adding Danilo Gallinari and perhaps even Timofey Mozgov. As Newsday reported last month, the Nuggets also might want to send Chauncey Billups in exchange for Raymond Felton.

None of this should be a deal-breaker, and a source said it wouldn't be for the Knicks. But another source said D'Antoni is said to be resisting this option. He is all for adding Anthony, but not at the expense of blowing up the roster.

Anthony has an opt-out to become a free agent this summer and the Knicks agree the best plan of action is to wait until then - or whenever a new collective-bargaining agreement is reached - to sign him. But that assumes he still will be there.

After waiting two years to clear cap space, do you dare to ask your fan base to wait longer? Do you tell Stoudemire, who has done everything and more to help revitalize the franchise and provide a perfect example of what this city can do for a star, to wait longer?

The Dolan family owns

controlling interests in the

Knicks, MSG and Cablevision.

Cablevision owns Newsday.