Earlier this week, I wrote about the potential Carmelo Anthony trade and how it might affect fantasy values of players like Ty Lawson and Troy Murphy. That trade could happen soon -- according to a report in the New York Post, the Nets are hoping to have the deal completed this weekend and approved by the league when offices re-open after the Martin Luther King holiday.

Not so fast, says Donnie Walsh. According to another report, the Knicks don't believe Anthony will sign an extension with the Nets, and they're stepping up their own efforts to acquire 'Melo from Denver. ESPN's Chris Broussard reported Walsh was in talks with Denver to acquire O.J. Mayo, in the hopes of including him in a deal, but backtracked hours later, saying Denver had no interest.

I'm not going to guess where Anthony will actually wind up -- there's been far too much mis-information circulating about this trade alread. Besides... this is a waiver column, and 'Melo ain't coming up on waivers. But I'm not above making somewhat-educated guesses -- based on the latest Anthony rumors -- about players whose roles could be changing soon.

Mayo (83|PERCENT| owned) is a good example. His numbers are down in just about every category this season, he clearly isn't part of the Grizzlies' long-term plans. But if he's dealt, that could change in a hurry... and just because Denver reportedly doesn't want him, it seems clear he's on the block. (Chicago would make sense as a destination, no?) If Mayo is traded, rookie Xavier Henry (1|PERCENT| owned) would get a significant value boost.

The Knicks' rotation is another place to look for bargains. In order to acquire Anthony, Donnie Walsh is going to have to give up at least one of his top three wings -- Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari or Landry Fields. That could mean Shawne Williams (3|PERCENT| owned) moves up in the rotation. Of course, the way Williams has been shooting this season (.589 from three, 2.7 made threes per game), he could be in line for a bigger role even if the Knicks don't swing a trade.

Bill Walker (2|PERCENT| owned) is worth a look as well; he's been a very effective player when he attacks the rim and doesn't simply settle for threes. His role could be diminished when Gallinari (knee) returns to the lineup, but the Knicks could also use him in place of Toney Douglas (15|PERCENT| owned) for a while.

Then there's Anthony Randolph -- who is still 36|PERCENT| owned despite the fact that he plays for the Knicks only a little bit more often than I do. Apparently fantasy owners have more faith in his potential than Mike D'Antoni has shown thus far. Donnie Walsh has repeatedly said he has a tentative deal in place to acquire a first-round draft pick should he need one; the general assumption is he'd use Randolph in such a deal, possibly sending him to Minnesota or Indiana.

Neither is really an ideal landing spot for Randolph - in Minnesota he'd be competing with Kevin Love and Michael Beasley for minutes; in Indiana he'd be in the mix with Danny Granger, Josh McRoberts, Tyler Hansbrough and Paul George (1|PERCENT| owned), who has been impressive of late. But anything's better than being glued to D'Antoni's bench.

An unrelated rumor that could heat up soon - with DeAndre Jordan (63|PERCENT| owned) playing so well in Chris Kaman's absence, the Clippers could look to move their incumbent center and commit to the youngster. So if you've been waiting to place a claim on Jordan because Kaman is looming... wait no longer. That said, Kaman isn't expected back in the lineup until February; he may be hard to move if he can't prove he's healthy before the trade deadline.