The fate of Carmelo Anthony continues to hang in the balance, though there seems to be only one destination on his mind right now – the Houston Rockets. Talks between the Knicks and the Rockets conspicuously simmered down the past weeks but a new round of talks may finally get somewhere.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks and Rockets have re-engaged trade talks for Anthony. The only problem is that a straight-up deal is unlikely to get things going. Hence, the talks could center on a third team acting as a conduit to finalize the deal.
Rockets or bust
Several teams expressed interest in Anthony, though there was a clause that stood in the way. The veteran all-star forward holds a no-trade clause with the Knicks, something that can only be waived if he so chooses.
Right now, Anthony will only waive that no-trade clause if it is the Rockets. The Cleveland Cavaliers were previously in the running until Houston landed Chris Paul. Seeing how the Cavs are in a state of turmoil, Melo obviously sees the Rockets a better place to be in, not to mention better chances of winning an NBA title.
Knicks management change
With Phil Jackson no longer calling the shots of the Knicks, new general manager Scott Perry complicated the situation. Aware that the club he inherited is technically rebuilding again, Perry wants to make sure he gets something out of the Anthony trade.
That could be in the form of future picks or young players. Ryan Anderson is one player the Rockets want to get rid of, but the Knicks are not inclined to absorb his hefty $60 million contract. To break the impasse, a third team would be needed where more assets would be included in the likely mega deal.
It may only be a matter of time before the deal gets done, though it would help if information on the third team were known.
With most teams practically complete, it remains a mystery as to who could participate in the trade.
A potential team in the mix could be the one owning high picks in future NBA drafts. For 2018, teams who still hold rights to their own picks include the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, or even the Washington Wizards to name a few, according to Real GM.
There are plenty of teams who could unload their draft picks, most likely teams who have rosters competent for years to come. If not, woeful teams in need of a player like Anderson could also be in play for as long as salary budgets permit it.
So while most are pondering how the Anthony trade will go down, there is the case of unloading Anderson as well. A final decision should be made in the coming weeks.
