Back in February 2011, Carmelo Anthony, a soon-to-be free agent, was on the block. He'd made clear his intentions to leave Denver in the offseason. The Nuggets weren't a contender. So a trade seemed to make sense for both sides, finding Carmelo a new home while jumpstarting a Denver rebuild.

The Nuggets found a suitor in the star-starved New York Knicks, who were assured that Carmelo would re-sign a couple months later. He did. But the price was steep: Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov and a 2014 first-rounder that became a lottery pick, 12th overall.

Years later, Carmelo admitted that helping orchestrate the trade may have been a personal misstep. He got his wish: a mega contract and star role in New York City, the country's biggest market. But in expediting the process, the move gutted the Knicks of important roster-building pieces, setting them back. If he had just waited a few more months to sign in New York, he would've joined a deeper roster with more flexible options.

By now, most everyone is versed on the monumental question lingering over the Thunder franchise: Should OKC trade or keep Russell Westbrook?