Carmelo Anthony will make his first return to the Pepsi Center as an opposing player on Wednesday when the New York Knicks play the Denver Nuggets.

Anthony was traded to the Knicks in February of 2011.

Anthony was likely to leave the Nuggets that offseason as a free agent and he anticipated that the franchise was going to rebuild.

"People didn't really know the business side of the situation we were in," Anthony said. "Everybody's contract was up. They had plans of going younger. People from the outside looking in didn't really get it."

Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, Marcus Camby and possibly Chauncey Billups were all scheduled to be free agents that offseason as well.

Anthony anticipates the return to be more strange than emotional.

"I think it will be crazy sitting on the other bench, sitting on the other side of the court, being in the visitors' locker room. But as far as being emotional, I don't think so."