Carmelo Anthony may have more trade value during the summer than he does now, states Bobby Marks of The Vertical. In an interview with Chris Mannix, the former NBA executive suggests that teams that get eliminated in the later rounds of this year’s playoffs might see Anthony as the missing piece and would be willing to offer more than the Knicks could get now. Marks adds that deals involving star players are difficult to pull off at the deadline and said he believes Anthony will remain in New York for the rest of the season.
There’s more today out of New York:
- ESPN broadcaster and former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy thinks Anthony could prosper in a sixth-man role with the Clippers, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. L.A. is reportedly one of the teams that has had trade discussions with the Knicks, offering Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and possibly Wesley Johnson in return. “Great players can adjust to anything,’’ Van Gundy said. “… It’s not that he’s not one of their five best players. It’s trying to fit into the rotation that keeps enough firepower on the court.”
- Count Kristaps Porzingis among those wanting Anthony to stay with the Knicks, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. The second-year big man, who led New York to a comeback win over the Nets with Anthony on the sidelines Wednesday, says having another star on the roster helps his game. “I think it would make life harder for me on the court [if Anthony was traded],” Porzingis told the Daily News. “He makes stuff easier for me.”
- Rookie center Willy Hernangomez, who was acquired along with Porzingis in the 2015 draft, is getting an expanded role, according to Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Hernangomez posted back-to-back double-doubles this week, getting 16 points and 16 rebounds in Wednesday’s game. “We always said as he goes on through this year he’s going to get better and better once he sees guys a second and a third time,” said Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek. “He’s improving every day.”
NY Knick front office: please do not deal Melo. Trade Phil for a bag of basketballs and a bonsai tree.
No way you can get a bonsai tree for phil jackson. Those things are pretty expensive and hard to make
May be right. With all the ridiculously high contracts handed out last year with cap exploding, and more cap space coming on this year. There will be more teams with space and bad contracts they want to get rid of in the offseason. Some of these contracts make Melo’s look pretty decent.
Trade Phil to a retirement home and Melo to the D League
Phil is useless, what we call an empty suit…
Hernangomez holds a very bright future!
Melo a 6th man? Melo will never accept that for this season. Right or wrong, Van Gundy should know that Melo won’t be a 6th man.
I agree that there is no point in trading melo for a bag of balls now when there will be a larger market this summer. Teams will strike out on big names and will need a backup plan to improve.