Walsh reveals nothing new on Carmelo trade

The worst-kept secret in the NBA is the mutual effort by the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony to complete a trade that would put the four-time All-Star in New York before the Feb. 24 trade deadline. But even Donnie Walsh can't predict when a potential blockbuster might get done.

"I don't feel good or bad; these things take two to tango," Walsh said, speaking in general terms about pre-deadline trades and not specifically about Anthony. "I have no real knowledge of what other teams will do. We're out there looking and seeing if we can do something."

Walsh would say only that he has "a better feeling for what's going to happen" before the deadline.

Late Saturday night, ESPN.com reported a three-team deal that has been discussed between the Knicks, Nuggets and Timberwolves that would send Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph to Minnesota; Corey Brewer, Wilson Chandler and Minnesota's first-round pick to Denver, and Anthony to the Knicks. Walsh would not comment on the report, but he said he was aware of it because he received a voice mail from a reporter at midnight.

"Why would you call me and ask me that question at 12 o'clock at night?" he said.

Multiple sources told Newsday that the deal is one of several options under consideration and that there is nothing imminent. ESPN.com's report said the trade could be completed as early as the middle of the week, but that seems to be overly optimistic.

"If that's true, [ESPN.com] knows more than I do," said one person directly involved in the negotiations.

Two sources insist the Nuggets are in no rush to trade Anthony and that a deal likely wouldn't happen until just before the deadline. For the Nuggets, the deal would pale in comparison with the package they almost received from the Nets, which included three first-round picks and rookie Derrick Favors. But the Knicks deal would result in immediate cash savings, with the Timberwolves absorbing Curry's expiring $11.2-million salary.

Anthony twice declined offers by the Nets to discuss a future in Brooklyn and a contract extension. On Jan. 19, Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said the Nets no longer would pursue a trade for Anthony. There have been reports that Anthony has told the Nuggets he will sign an extension only with the Knicks, which has made other interested teams give up their pursuit of a trade. That leaves one inevitable result, as long as an amenable deal can be reached in time.

If the Nuggets' asking price is too high, the Knicks could decide to pass on a trade and instead look to sign Anthony as a free agent once he opts out of his contract after this season. But it is believed that Anthony would prefer to come in a trade with the three-year, $65-million contract extension rather than go into free agency with the unknown of the next collective-bargaining agreement.

The Dolan family owns controlling interests in the Knicks, MSG and Cable-

vision. Cablevision owns Newsday.