The Knicks are expected to re-open trade talks with the Clippers, though with different terms than the last time the two sides discussed a Carmelo Anthony deal. Instead of an Austin Rivers-centered proposal, which was reportedly on the table during the middle of the season, the Knicks would receive J.J. Redick via sign-and-trade.
While Redick is a great starter, that kind of package doesn’t seem to provide New York with the kind of return teams normally receive when trading away a star. Yet, it may be the franchise’s best option on the trade market. The Knicks will be hard-pressed to find a typical star trade offer —one laced with young prospects and favorable draft picks—because Anthony isn’t your typical star on the market. The small forward’s no-trade clause, contract, and age (he’ll turn 33 later this month) suppress his value in trade negotiations, as I discussed in his Trade Candidate piece. On top of all those factors, Phil Jackson further decreased Anthony’s trade value by declaring that star would be better off in a different uniform.
Rival teams will low-ball the Knicks this summer and if a deal materializes, the return will likely be underwhelming. However, New York should remember that it has the option of keeping Melo on the team, as Dan Favale of NBA Math writes. Favale notes that the 10-time All-Star has the support of Kristaps Porzingis and the duo plays well together on the court. Porzingis made 44.1% of his shots from behind the arc and 50.5% of them overall off of Anthony’s passes this season.
Favale also points out that Anthony plays well off the ball. Melo hit 41.8% of his catch-and-shoot opportunities behind the arc, a figure that ranks eighth in the league among players with at least 175 such attempts.
As Anthony glides further away from his prime, he’s going to have to play off the ball more for whichever team he’s on. If the Knicks keep him this summer and put him in that kind of role to begin the 2017/18 campaign, perhaps they can moderately rehabilitate his trade value (or even less likely: create a peace treaty between Anthony and Jackson that would allow Melo to stick around through the end of his deal).
The team will need to eventually rebuild around Porzingis and the haul it receives for Anthony will likely dictate the timeline on becoming a playoff contender again. Simply cutting bait with the soon to be 33-year-old by taking the best trade offer this offseason is the likeliest option for the Knicks. Is it the best option? Perhaps, but it’s not the only one and the Knicks are in no position to be closed-minded.
What should New York do with Anthony this summer? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below. We look forward to what you have to say!
They should trade him but the real question is: Is any team willing to take Carmelo Anthony and give the Knicks equal value for him?
They aren’t.
The answer is to trade him for the cap space and a pick Instead of getting a player back you can sign a free agent and pretend you got him in trade for Melo.
I just think the age got a lot to do with it
Well no…. but yes… because Phil is there. No sense in keeping the two together if they basically hate each other.
Trade Phil to Orlando for A player and their 1st rd pick this year
Phil wouldn’t catch more than a 33 year old draft and stash who refuses to come over.
Should they trade him, absolutely. Should he waive his no trade clause? No way. Force the Knicks to release him. He can go sign anywhere he wants and still get paid. Why help Phil out in this situation? And if they don’t release him he gets to stay which is what he wants.
Trade Melo…Fire Phil….suspend Dolan for 10 years…Knicks win Chip in 2021!!!!
If the Knicks ever want to contend again they need to get rid of Melo. Not even talent or cap space on the roster.
The only viable trades I think Would be worth it. Would be the Celtics trading crowder and the nets 1st rd pick for melo. The clippers doing the Melo for Griffin trade in which the Knicks can then trade him to Boston or the Cavs trading Love for Melo in which the Knicks once again trade him to Boston. Anything else you’re better off keeping him. I would like to see them trade Phil to maybe Orlando and get a player and their 1st rd pick this year. Why not they are looking for a president….
You can’t immediately turn around and trade a guy you just acquired in a sign and trade, if that’s what you’re implying with Griffin.
Yeah. The one assumption that you make is that the Celtics WANT him. I doubt that they do and pray that they don’t.
Lol so a package centered around Austin Rivers almost got it done but you think it’s Crowder and a Nets pick? Try Rozier and Celtics first in 19.
#BringBackDonnieWalsh
Phil and Carmelo deserve each other.
No!!! Fire Phil Jackson!!! And then feed the Knicks DEFENSE for breakfast, lunch and dinner… And even for the munchies…
Favale is way off with “melon plays well off the ball.” If he isn’t getting his shots/points he pouts and stops playing defense which is below average to begin with. He is self-absorbed, not in shape, not a good teammate, and a locker room cancer. Who wants that? Not the Celtics!
They would actually be taken seriously in the East with Boston, you need scoring options to win and Houston proved that to SA last night. The whole one star team is a thing of the past, Melo would instantly make Boston a legit title contender.
Do you even know what you are talking about or do you just repeat stuff you read on the internet? Nothing you said about Melo is true other than Melo’s defense being below average. He’s well liked around the league and by his teammates, he’s a great mid range shooter (check the stats) and is still and elite scorer.
It’s funny how Chris Paul has never made it past the 2nd round in his entire career yet no one is on his case (Melo made the WCF in 2009). Melo made it to the playoffs 10 straight years before Phil and he’s the cancer?? Not sure why so many people hate Melo.
They hate Melo because he plays in NY
Boom!!! Is that simple…
Agreed 1000%, no typo.
Some of y’all forget that from an offensive standpoint, Melo is still top 5 as of today! Ok – yes his defense is average, but most superstars rarely play D (notice i said “MOST”!) If Knicks can’t get a high 1st round pick for him and a couple of go to glue guys that play d and can shoot, keep him, buy out sorry a** Phil Jackson’s contract and get ready for next season.
Facts, Melo still averaged 23 ppg and players like Klay,Beal,McCollum averaged around the same and are looked at as all stars.
Ah yes,
Change the president and all of a sudden the same team goes to the playoffs.
Drugs are bad!
Melo and Porzingis play well together?
Doesn’t playing well mean winning?
Why are we pining away for the good old days of 2016/2017? That wasn’t a good team, it wasn’t a good clubhouse and it wasn’t a fun ride. Are we trying to make the case that the two best players are awesome but can’t avoid the lottery unless they have a better supporting cast?
I don’t know if you guys missed it but the Knicks were terrible and the solution isn’t trying again with the same roster. Nor is it making a few changes to the second team.
Pretending that Melos value is low because Jackson wants to trade him instead of because he has a long track record of doing what he did last year is just bizarre.
The return doesn’t matter as long as it isn’t just a bunch of bad contracts.
A return of Melo is as bad of an idea as expecting him to come off the bench without causing problems.
They don’t have to trade him and I wouldn’t trade him if the only option is less talent for more money but the key to a decent return isn’t the treat of keeping him. It’s the option of more than one trade partner which is why Melo not opening up the field of potential options is the hold up.
Phil is smart, Noah is going to be a beast when he comes bacl
Did you prefer Lopez, Howard or Mozgov?
I have to laugh at people who pretend, or are clueless enough to think, that Noah was in any way the Knicks problem this year.
HE wasnt its just Knicks fans are so critical, the dude had numerous 10 rebound games and will be fine. I understand Hernan-Gomez is a bright young talent but you do not keep Noah on the bench, he might not be a 2012 MVP candidate anymore but he can be way more effective then Hernan-Gomez alongside KP. What I would do is just straight up fire Phil and keep Melo and Rose with Hornacek running his system and the Knicks will be fine but thats clearly not the case here and Phil will he around another 2 years so that means no Melo and No Rose. They’ll like draft Ntikilina and acquire Phil’s favorite Crowder along with Marcus Smart
Were I the Knicks, I would do Melo for Reddick, but I’d have to insist on getting Brice Johnson as well, who I would then flip for picks.
Reddick is a free agent
Melo for Dwight straight up