Carmelo Anthony Wanted Knicks To Trade for Rajon Rondo

According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, ‘Melo wanted the Knicks to trade for Rajon Rondo after the Boston Celtics dealt future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce:

Anthony told friends after the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce trade to the Nets, he figured the Knicks would make a play for point guard for Rajon Rondo. Anthony believes Rondo would be the perfect piece and would be super motivated in New York to attempt to knock off Garnett and Pierce.

‘Melo is so right. With the Knicks desperately in need of a point guard who is an actual floor general, someone who can control the offense, Rondo would be the perfect piece to add to the puzzle. We’re also well aware that Rondo tends to flourish on the biggest of stages, so playing in the basketball mecca would likely appeal to his competitive side day in and day out.

But Anthony is also wrong. Very wrong. Or should I say delusional?

Rondo isn’t untouchable. No matter what Danny Ainge and the Celtics may say publicly, he can be had for price. Now that Boston is in the middle of an extensive rebuild, pretending anyone and everyone isn’t available is futile.

The Knicks can’t meet that price, though. Or even come close to meeting it. Like, they can’t even put together a package that wouldn’t make Ainge roll over on the floor laughing before he had time to hang up the phone. Hence the whole Andrea Bargnani acquisition.

Berman notes that ‘Melo wanted the Knicks to land another scorer. Well aware that they couldn’t afford to sign anyone who fits that bill, they traded for Bargs. It was a ballsy move. And a solid one at that. They gave up seldom-used pieces in Steve Novak and Marcus Camby (and Quentin Richardson), and a first-round pick in 2016. People were up in arms over the loss of that draft pick, but the Knicks can just buy one that year if they’re in love with the idea of having one.

Boston isn’t about to trade Rondo away for spare parts like the Toronto Raptors did with Bargs. The Celtics are going to want expiring contracts, cap relief and/or draft picks in return. New York can provide none of those things.

Years of being proven wrong have taught me to never say never. Things happen, and unwitting third and fourth teams can be found to push deals through. Anything is possible.

Except this.

Perhaps that’s a little strong, yet that’s sure how it seems. There’s no scenario in my mind that the Knicks can explore that would land them Rondo. Zero. Zilch. Nada.

Their best bet is too dance with what they came with next season and pray to God that they can move Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani for nothing in June, in hopes of becoming a major player in free agency. Then they can re-sign Anthony while chasing another star or two.

That star won’t be Rondo, of course. For one, he’s not a free agent until 2015, when the Knicks are slated to have mountains of cap space. Mostly though, the Knicks don’t have the means to legitimately pursue him now or later.

Sorry, ‘Melo.