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After Zach Lowe hinted at the New York Knicks front office possibly moving towards exploring trades for their superstar Carmelo Anthony, the Internet exploded with hype. The reality is, there’s no imminent deal out there, at the moment.
Regardless, after reading Lowe’s statement, I was curious about possible deals involving ‘Melo. So, I took some time on ESPN Trade Machine and devised some potential deals involving the Knicks eight-time All Star.
Note:
These are realistic deals, not stupid NBA 2k trades. Also, I only executed deals involving two teams. With three-team deals, there are endless possibilities and I’m not trying to write a story.
Also, I was somewhat limited in who I could select in these deals because players signed this summer as free agents can’t be traded until mid-December.
Trade 1: ‘Melo Heads North
How great would the Toronto Raptors be with a starting lineup of Kyle Lowry, Jonas Valanciunas, DeMarre Carroll, and ‘Melo? Aside from a random 50-point outburst a couple seasons ago, Terrance Ross hasn’t lived up to the hype and could use a change of scenery. Patterson is a solid stretch-the-floor power forward, and DeMar Derozan is a borderline all-star every year when healthy. This deal makes sense for both sides.
Trade 2: Washington’s Back-up Plan for Kevin Durant
Obviously the Wizards would love to keep Beal and sign Durant, but realistically why would Durant leave the Oklahoma City Thunder? Washington could move Beal, a solid two-way player with all-star potential and an expiring deal in Nene plus some picks for ‘Melo. For the first time in his career, Anthony would play with an all-star point guard who can distribute for him.
Trade 3: The Anthony and Anthony Show
Holy crap Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis playing together? The thought of that makes me wet my pants. New Orleans desperately needs to do something about the combo of Holiday and Tyreke Evans.
Both Gordon and Holiday have a past marred by injuries, but with some first round picks trickled into the equation, this deal might peak New York’s interest.
Trade 4: Markieff Morris Gets the F*$k Out of Phoenix
Markieff Morris has expressed extreme displeasure with the Phoenix Suns organization since his brother, Marcus, was traded to the Detroit Pistons. If dealt to New York, he would finally get his wish granted and the Knicks would gain a certifiable starting point guard in Bledsoe. Sure, the Knicks throw in Jerian Grant, but it’s worth it.
For Phoenix, Brandon Knight could move to his natural position (point guard) with the Suns, and ‘Melo in that high-octane Suns offense would dominate as a stretch four.
Trade 5: ‘Melo and George Karl Rekindle the Flame
‘Melo is one of the many players to have played under George Karl and label him as a “snake”. Regardless, a Rondo, ‘Melo and DeMarcus Cousins trio would be stupendous. If Anthony and Karl could bury the hatch from their ugly tenure with the Denver Nuggets, this Kings team could be incredible offensively.
The Knicks would become a more balanced team by gaining a legitimate starting point guard, and a young player in McLemore who has potential despite not living up to the superstar hype thus far. Gay is Ok too.
So, would the Knicks really trade Carmelo? If they are absolutely pitiful again this year, then it certainly could happen. The important thing to keep in mind is Anthony has a ‘No-Trade Clause’; so, basically he controls his own destiny in where he would like to go.
When he was a free agent last summer, the important attributes he looked for in a team were a major-market and potential to win. Though they aren’t the market that New York is, all of these teams give him the chance to be successful.
These teams wouldn’t be championship caliber, but they would be much better than the Knicks and have an opportunity to compete for a title in the next couple years.
In reality, Anthony’s salary and his ‘No-Trade Clause’ make his contract extremely difficult to move. In addition to that, coming off a season where he missed 42 games doesn’t make that any easier.
If ‘Melo can re-establish dominance as one of the top scorers in the league, and remain healthy, it would boost his trade value and make a deal possible. Obviously, this is all hypothetical, but if the Knicks bottom-feed in the weak Eastern Conference once again, it might be hard for Anthony to #StayMe7o in the Big Apple.