With the upcoming NBA trade deadline fast approaching, one big name that may be on the market could be Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony, a three-time Olympic gold medal winner, NBA scoring champion and nine-time All-Star recently met with New York Knicks Vice President of Operations, Phil Jackson recently to answer questions of his commitment to staying with the moribound franchise.
Per media reports, Anthony, who is in the middle of a five-year $124 million deal—that also has a no-trade clause–that he just twelve months ago, is currently earning $24.5 million for the 2016-17 season, and reiterated his commitment to the Kinks and refusal to waive his no-trade.
With a dead cap hit of $24.5 million for any perspective team that wishes to try to land Anthony, they would need to have him waive his no-trade clause and have the proper assets in the form of cash, draft picks and/or players to properly accommodate the New York Knicks and Melo himself.
If there is one possible suitor that has the proper resources to land Anthony, it would be the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
Cleveland, fresh off of a 3-3 West Coast road trip—in which they recently acquired former Atlanta Hawks swingman/sharpshooter Kyle Korver—which culminate in a 30-plus point demolition at the hands of their newly-minted rivals, the Golden State Warriors, are in the market for more outside shooting, a backup point guard and another big.
In what has been whisper for years, could become a reality thanks to Anthony’s close friend and biggest rival in LeBron James wanting to team up with the former national champion from Syracuse.
Thanks to a friendship and competitive rivalry that goes back to their high school days at St. Vincent-St. Mary and Oak Hill Academy (VA), there is a deep amount of friendship and respect between the two future Hall of Famers.
Due to a combination of player salaries, trade exceptions and the fact that the Knicks are $8.4 million under the salary cap and the Cavaliers are $33 million over the cap and $14.3 million over the NBA luxury tax, they may need to do some “creative accounting” in facilitating a multi-player deal with 2-3 teams, that will likely involve some of their future first round picks in 2018-via Portland, protected first-rounders in 2019, 2020 and their own from 2021 thru 2024.
While Anthony may have said no to a possible deal now, anything can happen between now and next week, and a possible Melo-LBJ team-up could very well happen. What do you think?
Not happening even with Love as a part of it. The assets Cleveland has does not fit. They want young talent to grow with their already young talent. No one wants late round picks until the draft and there is a guy that a GM wants that is there. They will need a third team minimum and that is where it gets very complicated. My money is he is dealt at draft and teams with another piece somewhere. Just hope Boston is not the place unless the other piece is filthy.
I tried to facilitate a trade via ESPN’s Trade Machine for research, and it would have included the massive depletion of our bench, and movement of key players. So I guess it is Nole, Mario or someone else.