The best thing about All-Star Weekend? It's like a giant metaphorical cocktail, lubricating all the potential deals leading up to the trade deadline.

Carmelo Anthony's got tape recorders in front of him, and his opinion on what Denver needs to do slips out. From the Rocky Mountain News' Chris Tomasson:

Does this sort of endorsement matter if, say, the team were hedging on freeing Linas Kleiza? It's hard to say. Melo isn't quite LeBron James, but unlike Bron-Bron and Dwyane Wade, Anthony signed the full 5-year extension off his rookie deal. He's the franchise, folks. And if he wants something badly, the franchise has to give extra consideration, you'd think.You know the scenarios. It's a matter of whether they'll happen.