In the wake of a report from Chris Haynes and Marc Stein of ESPN.com that says the New York Knicks tried to engage the Cleveland Cavaliers in a Carmelo Anthony-for-Kevin Love trade, we have to ask: Is Knicks president Phil Jackson really that committed to pushing Melo out of New York?
Anthony, for his part, isn’t sure, per the New York Daily News‘ Stefan Bondy:
In what represented another example of the chasm existing between star and team president, the Knicks were rejected by the Cavs after offering Anthony for Love, according to ESPN. Anthony said he was never contacted by the Knicks about the talks, and he’s unsure if brass is purposefully trying to create an environment that he’d want to leave.
“I don’t know,” Anthony said. “I honestly don’t know.”
“If they want to go in a different direction, that’s something I have to consider,” he added later. “I think I would have to consider that. All the talk that’s going on, that’s out of my control. Nobody contacted me, nobody contacted my representation or anything like that. So it’s something that I’m not worried about.”
It’s kind of funny that in a season where the Knicks are playing host to Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, it’s Carmelo Anthony who is the problem. The team would no doubt be better off trading any one of them, assuming they can, and yet Anthony, who owns a no-trade clause, continues to be the primary rumor-mill fixture.
Knicks gonna Knicks, I guess.
There is obviously value in the Knicks moving on from Anthony, provided they can get a combination of picks and prospects. Dealing for Love or another impact player doesn’t really fit the bill, because it tethers them to the win-now stance they should no longer be assuming. But because Anthony holds a no-trade clause, the Knicks’ scope for potential deals is limited. In all likelihood, they won’t be able to get a future-driven return for him, since the teams he would OK as his next destination won’t be able to cobble together those types of packages.
Hence why Jackson’s people would leak this kind of report. Maybe it drives Melo to open his options for new homes, outside Los Angeles or wherever LeBron James is at the moment.
Whatever the Knicks are playing at, though, dealing Anthony fails to make a ton of sense if you also aren’t able to get rid of Rose and Noah as well.
