NBA Trade News: Clippers likely to acquire Carmelo Anthony without losing Big 3
The Los Angeles Clippers (30-17) could acquire New York Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony via trade without having to surrender Chris Paul, Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan, according to fresh reports.
The New York Knicks, led by president Phil Jackson, is reportedly "determined" to find Anthony a new home ahead of the Feb. 23 trade deadline. Since the 9-time All-Star has a no-trade clause on his contract, the Knicks would require Anthony's consent before finalising a deal.
Last month, Charley Rosen, a close ally of Jackson, reported that the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers are the only two teams that Anthony would consider a trade to. Anthony is close friends with LeBron James and Chris Paul, the two leaders of the aforementioned franchises.
Carmelo Anthony to Los Angeles Clippers: What can Doc Rivers offer?
According to the New York Daily News, the Knicks front office reached out to the Clippers on Thursday about a potential deal that would send Anthony to Los Angeles. Since the Knicks already have Derrick Rose on their roster, the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) prohibits them from acquiring Blake Griffin, who is on a designated rookie max extension like the former Chicago Bulls star and league MVP.
"The Knicks, according to a source, are open to trading Anthony to Los Angeles even if they don't get one of the Clippers' Big 3 in return," wrote Frank Isola, a renowned beat writer from New York.
The Clippers would likely have to package Jamal Crawford and Austin Rivers for a successful transaction. The Knicks would, in all probability, push for sweet-shooting guard J.J. Redick to be included in the package. However, Redick is a free agent over the summer and could be a risky acquisition for New York. According to ESPN's trade machine, a package of Crawford and Rivers should be enough to pull off a potential trade.
Boston Celtics not keen on Carmelo Anthony trade
Meanwhile, The Vertical reported that the Knicks also reached out to the Boston Celtics (27-18) but received a lukewarm response about a potential trade. On Wednesday, ESPN's Mark Stein reported that the Cavaliers also turned down the idea of a Carmelo Anthony-Kevin Love swap -- a deal that would have been easy to pull off due to the similar salaries.
On Wednesday, Carmelo Anthony addressed the trade speculation. "I really don't have a reaction to it. I mean, until management comes to me and says something, it's not something I can look forward to or feed into at this point," the former scoring champion said when asked about the possibility of teaming up with LeBron James in Cleveland.
Carmelo Anthony is averaging 22.7 points, 3.1 assists and 6.1 rebounds in his 14th NBA season. The former No. 3 overall pick has made just one conference final in his career. Would the Los Angeles Clippers emerge as a legitimate threat to the Golden State Warriors by pulling off a potential Carmelo Anthony trade? It remains to be seen.
