Carmelo Anthony has been a star in the NBA for a long time. He was drafted #3 overall by the Denver Nuggets, and went on to be the best player on years of Denver teams that made the playoffs year after year. Anthony propelled Denver to the 2009 Western Conference Finals, where the Nuggets fell the Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers in six games. He consistently averaged over 25 points per game, and was the face of the Nuggets franchise.
However, Anthony grew unhappy in Denver, wanting a bigger city with a bigger spotlight. He all but demanded a trade, forcing Denver to deal their best player.