New York Knicks rumors are indicating that a Carmelo Anthony trade could be closer than ever this offseason. There are several writers posting to social media that the Knicks are deep into negotiations with the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers, with both teams pushing hard to acquire the All-Star forward.
None of this guarantees that a trade takes place, as Anthony has a no-trade clause he can use to veto any deal. It may be surprising to some NBA fans that the Portland Trail Blazers have started showing a huge interest in acquiring him though.
The Blazers no longer want to be a team that facilitates a deal for another franchise, but a city where Carmelo Anthony wants to play.
Could the Blazers trade for Anthony or is this strategy?
One of the intriguing facets of these New York Knicks rumors is certainly the emergence of interest by the Blazers. It’s definitely possible that Portland is trying to act like they are interested in acquiring Anthony in order to get a better package of players in a three-team deal. The Blazers could help the Knicks send Anthony to the Houston Rockets, but only if they feel that they are getting some benefit from the deal.
The Rockets want to add Anthony and put him on the court with Chris Paul and James Harden, but the team doesn’t have a lot of assets to help facilitate a deal.
Ryan Anderson appears to be included in any deal that has Carmelo Anthony landing in Houston, but which team would take him back? Would the Blazers take on Anderson’s contract if they could get rid of someone like Meyers Leonard in the process?
Will New York Knicks trade rumors ever lead to real action?
Fans of the New York Knicks have been hearing rumors about trades and Anthony leaving the franchise for several years now.
Despite all the NBA rumors, nothing has ever materialized that came close to becoming official. Former team president Phil Jackson made it very public that he was looking to deal Anthony, but nothing took place before he was relieved of his position. This offseason continued to bring rumors, including the Knicks seeking a veteran point guard.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, and Portland Trail Blazers all want to acquire Carmelo Anthony, but it could take a lot for that deal to finally get accomplished. Once the pieces are in place, his potential new team would have to convince Anthony to waive that no-trade clause. Is it close to finally happening? The sheer volume of increased trade chatter suggests these New York Knicks rumors are about to lead to something, but that has been the case in the past as well.
