Anthony says wife not calling shots
DENVER – Carmelo Anthony(notes) wants everyone to believe his wife isn’t forcing him to leave Denver.
After turning down a three-year, $64 million extension from the Denver Nuggets, Anthony has expressed hopes of being traded since the offseason. The Nuggets are considering sending him to the New Jersey Nets in a three-team trade that also includes the Detroit Pistons. Through it all, there has been a perception that Anthony’s wife, La La Vazquez, has been pushing him to move to a big market, preferably New York.
Anthony was in good spirits while answering media questions following his 28-point performance in a 132-98 blowout of the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday. But once he was asked about the perception that his wife was calling the shots on his NBA career, his mood instantly changed.
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“Y'all put this in bold words, La La has nothing to do with anything,” Anthony said. “Whatever is my decision, she is going to support me. She has nothing to do with me staying or leaving. Nothing. So please keep her out of it. Thank you.
“People have to write about something and [they] come up with, ‘She don’t want to be here.’ She has nothing to do with that. This is my career. This is my decision. Of course, I got to consult her with everything. It wasn’t one conversation I had with her where she said, ‘Let’s get out of Denver.’ ”
Vazquez grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and is an actress who has hosted music and reality shows. Anthony was born in New York but grew up in Baltimore. The couple married in New York on July 10. During the wedding, some of Anthony’s family members and New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul(notes) raised the possibility of Paul and Anthony playing together in New York. Anthony and Vazquez also have an offseason home in Los Angeles.
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“It’s normal, you got to consult with your family about decisions like that,” Anthony said. “That’s all she has been doing. She hasn’t had any say-so what I should do or where I should go.”
Anthony said he expected to play in Thursday’s game against the Miami Heat.
“Y'all will have another interview with me Thursday,” Anthony told reporters. “I guarantee you that.”
