Carmelo Anthony's "ultimate dream" would be to play in New York, the Denver Nuggets forward said Friday in an interview with ESPN's Colleen Dominguez.

Anthony and his wife, LaLa Vazquez, are from the area.

"That's like the ultimate dream at the end of the day," Anthony said. "Who wouldn't want to go back home to play?"

Anthony stopped short of saying he wanted to play for the New York Knicks or the New Jersey Nets, who will move into a new arena in Brooklyn in 2012 not far from where Anthony grew up.

"I don't know, I mean I can't really answer that question," Anthony said when asked where he wants to play next season. "It's tough for me to sit here and say, 'Oh, I want to play in New York' [or] 'Oh, I want to play in New Jersey' [or] 'Oh, I want to stay here in Denver.' "

Anthony admitted he's had a difficult time dealing with all of the trade rumors.

"It's kind of hard for me to even watch sports right now," Anthony said. "That's all they're talking about right now."

He added, "I haven't had a good night's sleep since Thanksgiving."

Anthony said he was surprised when the Nets emerged as possible trade partners with the Nuggets.

"I [had] never really thought about the New Jersey Nets," he said, before allowing that he has subsequently considered the possibility.

"I see what the future holds, they'll move into Brooklyn. ... Me going back home to Brooklyn, opening that arena ... I think about all that stuff."

But Anthony also said, "I haven't even thought about [signing an extension with the Nets]."

If the Nets do trade for Anthony, they would likely want assurances he would sign the three-year, $65 million extension he left on the table with the Nuggets. If not, he would become a free agent after the season.

Anthony refused to say he would sign an extension with another team, saying "I have to weigh everything, all the options."

On Saturday before the Nuggets' home game versus Cleveland, Anthony clarified his conditions for signing the extension.

"I got to feel like I have a chance of reaching my ultimate goal of a championship," Anthony said. "Going to a bigger market is cool, but if I feel like I have a chance of winning a championship here in Denver in the next five years, then I'd sign the extension."