Report: Knicks have ’50-50′ shot at landing Melo

Another couple hours, another sign that the Detroit Pistons dream scenario of unloading Richard Hamilton’s albatross of a contract for an expiring deal look less and less likely.

Frank Isola of the New York Daily News has another crushing quote to add to the recent pile:

"A person familiar with the negotiations told the Daily News that talks between the Nuggets and Knicks are ongoing and classified the possibility of a deal with New York at “50-50.”"

Ever the optimist, I suspect that this latest report is a rhetorical flourish planted by someone in order to pressure the New Jersey Nets into taking the deal on Denver’s terms. That means absorbing the ugly Al Harrington contract.

After days and days of getting pummeled in the media for waffling, reneging on prior arrangements and feeling “rushed” into a deal, I think the young Denver front office is growing up fast, and creating an entity that could bid against the Nets is the best leverage the Nuggets brass could ask for. How legitimate the Knicks chances, and I’d wager they’re much closer to 25-75 than 50-50, remains to be seen.

But like I said, I’m an optimist.

""