Here’s some free advice for people expecting the New York Knicks to trade Carmelo Anthony: Don’t.
Anthony, who was named as an All-Star replacement for the injured Kevin Love, reiterated on Wednesday that the Knicks haven’t asked him to waive his no-trade clause, and as such, he doesn’t have any plans to:
Melo: Nothing cameto my table for me to look at. Until that time comes then they don’t need for me to even talk about the trade clause."
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) February 15, 2017
Carmelo: "I never thought I would be anywhere else." And on if he has hinted he'd waive no-trade: "I didn’t give any indication of that."
— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) February 15, 2017
Exactly one week separates the NBA from its Feb. 23 trade deadline, and the Knicks have played their last game before the All-Star break. A lot of scenarios will be kicked around during this time. But everything comes back to this no-trade clause.
Anthony hasn’t shown a willingness to be pushed out of New York by team president Phil Jackson, and that’s unlikely to change. And even if he’s amenable to relocating, there are really only three teams that’ll likely catch his attention: Los Angeles Clippers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics. Of those three, the Clippers are the most likely landing spot, because they have the requisite salary outside their Big Three to make a deal work without destroying the core.
But flipping, say, Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and Wesley Johnson renders them too top heavy. The Clippers aren’t deep as it is, and Melo makes them even more reliant on a six, may seven, man rotation.
Things might change over the offseason, when Anthony has missed the playoffs for yet another year. For now, though, the real shock would be seeing him finish the year outside New York.
