The Knicks and Rockets have re-engaged on trade talks regarding Carmelo Anthony, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports. The Rockets are yet again searching for a third team to facilitate the deal.
The Knicks and Rockets made significant progress on a deal when Phil Jackson was in charge, but New York’s new GM Scott Perry has been more particular about the package he’d want in return for Anthony. A deal directly between the two sides remains unlikely as New York does not have an interest in bringing back Ryan Anderson.
Anthony remains determined to go to Houston, as he refuses to expand the list of teams in which he’s willing to waive his no-trade clause for, according to Wojnarowski.
The Pelicans, Blazers, and Thunder are among the teams which have expressed interest in adding the 10-time All-Star. However, Anthony has reportedly been uninterested in joining any of those squads. Portland remains interested in acquiring Anthony should he change his mind. Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum continue to recruit Anthony with the hopes that he will change his stance on coming to the Northwest, Wojnarowski adds.
Anthony had previously expressed willingness to waive his NTC to join LeBron James in Cleveland, though Kyrie Irving‘s situation and LBJ’s uncertain future have dulled his enthusiasm for the Cavs.
New York has no problem bringing Anthony to training camp and Woj hears that Anthony beginning the season in a Knicks’ uniform remains a real possibility.
I really think Melo would be a better fit in Portland than Houston. They could run similar stuff to what they did with LaMarcus Aldridge giving him the elbow to work 1 on 1 against defenders. He’s looking great too from the video of him and CJ McCollum playing in a pickup game.
Another team that won’t take on salary though not prohibited like Rockets (still, they’re over tax line, and have been directed to get under it). Even if this deal is balanced, it only works if Knicks take back at least 1 – likely 2 – bad contracts that run 3 more years. A few more rebuild assets to choose from, though.
Yeah it’s definitely unrealistic for the Blazers to get Melo. Knicks would need to take Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard, or Maurice Harkless’ contracts and Melo would have to waive his no-trade. But from a strictly basketball perspective, I think Melo could thrive in Terry Stotts’ offense more than he could anywhere else. Just seeing the success LaMarcus had and knowing Melo could do that and stretch the floor, if all the money matched up I would go for it if I was the Blazers. But I’m not Neil Olshey and he’s always going to do what’s better for the future and there’s no guarantee we’d win with Melo. I’m just hoping when the time is right to go for a trade to put them over the top, that they go for it.
If Melo agreed to go, Harkless would have some appeal to the Knicks. Not taking Turner, but might take Leonard. Add some expiring deals with a protected 1st and it might work. But, like with Anderson, there’s no way to not give away some future cap space unless they find a team with (if not cap space) at least some room below the tax line. Problem is the teams built to win now which are interested in Melo are also not in a position to add salary. Melo doesn’t have enough value to involve a third team and compensate both them and the Knicks.
True, it’s gonna be really difficult finding teams to facilitate a Melo deal. The Blazers shedding Crabbe’s contract was important but they’re still not really in a position to add big contracts, but I’d argue if they traded Turner, Harkless, or Leonard in a deal, Melo having an opt out next year or having him for 2 seasons if he opts in might help the Blazers moving forward. They’d be able to clear cap space more quickly than if they kept those 3 guys for the next 3 years. Woj just reported this morning that CJ and Dame are doing a good job of recruiting Melo and that he’s at least interested in the Blazers.
Knicks will have to take Anderson back… only way it gets done do this:
Rockets get Melo & Noah
Knicks get: Anderson, Gordon, Ariza, and Qi
They can then focus on dealing Gordon and Ariza and live with the poor man’s Kevin Love for 3 years instead of Noah for 3 years.
I don’t think either side will like that trade offer
The knicks would take that deal in a second but no way Houston does. The knicks will gladly exchange Anderson bad contract for Noah. Noah is barely a back up at this point in his career plus won’t play half the games in next three years.
Rockets aren’t trading Gordon or Ariza. Ariza helped bring CP3 there and he is good friends with Harden. Without Gordon, their second unit would be garbage since they sent all their 2nd string to LA for CP3.
The rockets need to get rid of Anderson’s contract.
They’re not going to take back Noah’s contract ….it’s the same thing.
The Rockets are hard capped (so no Noah, period), and haven’t indicated they want to break up their veteran core for Melo (and why would the Knicks want older players if they’re rebuilding?).
lol this is awful
Ariza is a key reason CP3 came to Houston, Gordon is a big part of there success, the Knicks want young players, and won’t just exchange bad contracts with Houston
The only way the Knicks can get young players from Melo is to lose games. If getting a good player like EricGordon is not in their plans– plus a more useful 4– plus a decent Melo-replacement like PJTucker– then they just want to tank and may as well tell players to stay home.
As for the Rockets losing depth, well what did they think was going to happen in their reaching-for-the-stars plan? Gordon is not a starter, and Tucker and Ariza can’t both be startets. They would be getting what they want– Melo in, Anderson out.
Both parties need to suck it up and follow through and get it done.
What would a day be without a Knicks/Melo post…
This article almost reads identical to ESPN’s. May as well just copy and paste.
Isn’t that what this site is? A gathering of all information and rumors in the NBA?
If you want to read the ESPN NBA rumors, you’ll get about a quarter of the content you get here, if that.
So sure you’ll see a copy and paste of ESPN but then you’ll get Woj’s stuff and the other sites like The Vertical and Basketball Insiders and RealGM writers.
I love it, this is the first place I go for NBA news.
I would tell him to expand his list or look forward to starting the season with the Knicks
Wow. That’s a horrible threat. But I like it.
Melo staying in a Knicks uniform is a non-starter: just what any team wants–an unhappy guy who doesn’t want to be there. Yeah, that’ll end well.
Well he needs to be more willing to release his more trade clause to other teams. The Knicks gave up too much to get Melo and keep him happy. They can’t afford to accept a bad deal just to continue to pacify him. And any deal in which Anderson Is the top player you receive for Carmelo Anthony is god awful
So they have to make a bad deal to make him happy no thank you I’ll keep him on the team until I get something of value .
Hard to see a deal of Melo to Houston. I think Melo is pushing it cause talks stopped when the new GM was hired, once these talks go nowhere the path of least resistance is a Kyrie Irving – Carmelo Anthony trade with some other bits and pieces added in. Seems that will be the only thing to stop these tiresome rumors now.
Melo is a bit in KI trade. Maybe with Nikilina, WH and two unprotected 1st round picks, Cleveland would think about it. But what’s the point. The Knicks aren’t one player away (or two), so it makes no sense. Like the deal that brought Melo here in the first place.
I wouldn’t give up Melo, Frank, Willy, and two unprotected first for two years of Kyrie.
Nor would I. Asset depletion for a star player isn’t wise. In a few years, if they draft well, Knicks might have enough pieces to make a trade like this, while retaining quality players to play with a star they acquire.
This move would get Houston’s GM and coach fired.
The Rockets are hard capped (with only about 4 mm in room under it), have no 1st round pick to trade until 2020, and have little in the way of movable rebuild assets on their payroll. There really aren’t that many combinations. Anderson has to be in the deal. Yeah, 3rd team, 4th team, whatever, nobody is taking his contract without being paid to take it. Knicks might as well take it and be paid for it (60/3 vs 54/2, isn’t a big deal). It’s not like the Knicks know what to do with cap space anyway. Ask for Capella (who would make a nice tag team at C with WH) and a remote 1st which can be protected and be done with it. If they don’t want to move Capella, I don’t see what they can possibly be talking about.
Everyone is tired of the houston/NY bottleneck. Are the Knicks even sure they want to blow it up and be losing laughingstocks for a while and start over? I doubt they can follow through on that plan. They will want to compete and put on a show. They gave Melo an NTC now deal with it.
NY will have to get discounted on Melo and staff adult players, and Houston will have to give up even more depth.
What about OKC? Anyone have any thoughts? I know it puts a bunch of ballhogs in the same starting lineup, but it’s still very intriguing
Selo Melo on it
Another over the tax line team (4 guys make about 95 mm, and Westbrook goes up 2018-19 by another 10 mm and if they keep George, the same) that has no 1st rounders to deal for at least 4 years. Knicks apparently don’t want Kanter (rental), and OKC doesn’t want to give up Adams (although he would be impossible to keep along with Melo, Westbrook and George in any event).
This is not a team that will pay 50 mm+ in luxury tax.
Melo is not going to Portland, he wants big city life. Good luck, you won’t be missed in NYC!!
But it’s always hoodie season in Portland
If they don’t want Anderson back, then why not just go with Eric Gordon, Trevor Ariza, and maybe a pick or two in one direction or the other. Gordon is under contract for an extra season than Melo, but at less than half the salary the Knicks would still save quite a bit.