The talk about Carmelo Anthony being traded from New York this summer, seemingly can't stop. Even midway through the last season, there were speculations about Anthony maybe joining the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Los Angeles Clippers but he finished the season as a Knick. He has a no-trade clause in his contract, which basically means that Carmelo would have to approve any deal that includes him being traded. This makes it tough for the Knicks to move Carmelo out of town, especially considering that he has two years and nearly $54 million left on his current contract.
Even as the Knicks decided to part ways with Phil Jackson last week, the rumors about Carmelo's departure haven't stopped yet.
Melo ready to move on?
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday that apparently Carmelo Anthony is ready to waive his no-trade clause, only if it would mean he's joining the Cavaliers or the Rockets.
Sources on @ESPN: Carmelo Anthony is now open to waiving no-trade clause for Houston or Cleveland. https://t.co/AneqQQcXCZ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) 3. srpnja 2017.
Obviously, the Cavaliers and the Rockets would welcome Carmelo, but the only problem is how do they get it done. If they eventually find a way to get the deal done, league sources say that these two teams are the favorites to land Anthony.
The one thing that the Rockets could potentially offer the Knicks, is Ryan Anderson who has three years and nearly $61 million left on his contract. Houston recently acquired Chris Paul from the Clippers, and the "Big Three" of James Harden, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony would definitely be a contender for the NBA title. Paul and Anthony are known to be very close friends, and that's one of the reasons the Rockets are in the conversation to sign Anthony.
Chris Paul has previously stated that he would like to play with Anthony at some point of his career, and it remains to be seen whether this happens or not.
Cleveland is a preferred destination for Anthony
ESPN reports that even though the Rockets now have Chris Paul and James Harden, the Cleveland Cavaliers are still the frontrunners in signing Carmelo Anthony.
If he decides to waive his no-trade clause and the teams find a way to make it work, Carmelo will likely choose the Cavaliers over the Rockets. The main thing that makes Cleveland his preferred destination, is LeBron James. LeBron and Carmelo have been very close friends ever since they entered the NBA in 2003, and while LeBron has won three NBA titles already, Carmelo is still looking for his first championship.
Anthony would be a great addition for the Cavaliers since they failed to acquire Paul George this offseason. If they could find a way to keep Kevin Love and add Carmelo Anthony, their chances of winning the title next year would improve dramatically. The only problem they right now, is that they don't have a general manager since the Cavs front office parted ways with David Griffin about a week ago. Also, the Cavaliers would have to make several other moves regarding their cap situation in order to get Carmelo this summer.
