Rudy Fernandez has calmed on his public requests for a trade and claims he's comfortable with his current role.

"I think I'm happy with this role," said Fernandez, who scored three points Saturday night against the Knicks. "I'm happy with my shots. I'm feeling good with the second unit."

He is averaging 6.0 points in three games, including just over five shots per contest.

Acclaimed director and longtime Knicks fan Spike Lee is certain that Carmelo Anthony will play for his team in the near future.

"I have just one sentence for you," Lee told The New York Post on Saturday night. "Carmelo Anthony will be with the Knicks if God is willing and the creek don't rise."

Lee attended Anthony's wedding in July and The Post reported earlier this month that Anthony has told Lee the Knicks are far and away his top choice.

ESPN's Ric Bucher is reporting that Heat president Pat Riley may try to trade for a point guard in December.

On Dec. 15 most of the free agents that signed contracts this summer will become eligible in trades.

"Two different team executives said they expect the Heat to dangle $3 million and second-year PG Mario Chalmers to a lottery-bound team looking to shed the long-term contract of a mid-priced spot-up shooting PG," Bucher writes.

"Riley's objective is to find another shooter to space the floor, a la BJ Armstrong or John Paxson in their Chicago days playing alongside Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen."

Bucher lists Jarrett Jack and Daniel Gibson as options.

Sources close to Carmelo Anthony tell Chris Broussard that he is reluctant to agree to a trade to the Nets, which he can essentially veto by refusing to sign a long-term contract extension with New Jersey.

Anthony, the sources say, is willing to hold out until the trade deadline in an attempt to force Denver to deal him to the Knicks. The thinking is that the Nuggets would accept New York's offer rather than risk losing Anthony for nothing in the summer.

A good start by the Nets, who are now 2-0 on the young season, might change Anthony's mind.

There was a report on ESPN Tuesday night that Andre Iguodala had requested a trade.

Iguodala denied the report on Friday night.

"Where does this stuff come from?" he asked.

A source close to the situation tells ESPN that the Nuggets prefer not to trade Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks, who are presumed to be the superstar's preferred destination.

The Knicks continue to pursue Anthony and have tried to enlist the Blazers to facilitate a three-team trade.  So far Portland has made Nicolas Batum off limits in any scenario.

Denver feels that the Nets will keep their offer of Derrick Favors and draft picks on the table through the trade deadline in February.

The Nuggets remain likely to deal Anthony rather than face losing him to free agency in the off-season.

The Timberwolves are investigating whether Martell Webster was significantly injured when they acquired him from the Trail Blazers this offseason.

Portland dealt Webster to Minnesota for the 16th overall pick in June's NBA Draft.

Webster on Monday underwent surgery to repair a disk in his back and is expected to miss about six weeks. He said the injury dates back to last postseason.

The Timberwolves are believed to be trying to get extra compensation in the trade, reportedly a draft pick.

"We're all laughing about it," says one front office executive. "You can't watch the freaking playoffs? That was a pretty obvious incident, right on national TV."

Andrei Kirilenko is not expecting to be traded after several seasons of rumors sending him to a multitude of destinations.

"I spoke with (Utah general manager) Kevin O'Connor, and he always said, 'Like, look, don't worry about that. It's all rumors. We're not trying (to trade Kirilenko),''' Kirilenko said in an interview with FanHouse. "I don't have any doubts, Kevin, his words ... (The talk was) about everything. About all the rumors. So I don't have any doubts. Even if it (a trade) happens, I understand business is business. No hard feelings. I've had a great time (in Utah).''

The Wolves have asked the NBA to investigate whether Portland knew the seriousness of Martell Webster's injury before they traded him on draft night.

Webster underwent surgery to repair a disk in his back and is expected to miss about six weeks. He said the injury dates to last spring's playoffs, when he was undercut and fell hard in a game against Phoenix.

The Wolves are likely looking for a draft pick as compensation.

Carmelo Anthony made perhaps his most revealing public comments to date concerning the stalemate between him and the Denver Nuggets.

"They [Nuggets management] want to sit down and talk, but my thing is it?s way beyond this year.  It ain?t got nothing to do with the new GM, Josh [Kroenke], the players. For me, I feel it?s a time for change," Anthony said.

"If I do nothing now, I?m never going to do anything. I feel like my time is now to make a decision if I want to leave or if I want to stay," he continued.

Sources say Anthony is worried about joining a team that has gutted its roster to acquire him, and one source doesn't think he has warmed much to the idea of playing for the Nets.

Anthony has the Knicks and Bulls at the top of his wish list.  Sources say the Knicks don't have the assets to make a credible offer and the Nuggets didn't have a lot of interest in acquiring Luol Deng and his large contract.

Yet the Nuggets are still expected to deal Anthony before the trade deadline rather than risk losing him without compensation next summer.

Anthony continues to maintain that he is not as concerned about money as he is in controlling his destiny.  And he says that he does not dwell on the maximum-salary extension offer from Denver that remains on the table.

"I can?t go out there playing and thinking like that. I won?t be able to be as effective as I can be out there thinking like that," he said.