There have been many trade rumors about Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks in the last couple of years, but on Saturday it finally became official. The Knicks have finally traded Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The last couple of seasons have been far from ideal for Melo and the Knicks, as they are trying to rebuild their team while he wanted to compete for a championship. Anthony is a ten-time All-Star and three-time Olympic Gold medalist who came to the Knicks via a blockbuster trade with the Denver Nuggets in 2011. In 14 season, Melo has been one of the best offensive players in the league, averaging 24.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.
The Knicks receive Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second-round draft pick
Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to send Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second-round draft pick from the Chicago Bulls to the Knicks for Carmelo Anthony. Anthony will waive his no-trade clause, and the trade officially will happen on Monday, according to the league sources. Carmelo had a no-trade clause as a part of the contract he signed with the Knicks in 2014. It has been reported that he would waive his clause only for the Houston Rockets, but he opened up his desired list of destinations and accepted the trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder have already traded for Paul George in the offseason.
Oklahoma City will compete for a championship
The Oklahoma City Thunder traded for Carmelo Anthony and Paul George in the offseason now, showing their desire to compete for a championship. By trading for Anthony, the Thunder added another major asset without losing any key pieces of their team for the upcoming season.
The starting line-up of Westbrook, George, Anthony, Steven Adams, and either guard Andre Roberson or forward Patterson will put the Thunder firmly in the contender category. It is unlikely that anyone can beat the Golden State Warriors this year, but a good season could convince Paul George to sign a new contract with Oklahoma City after his current one expires in 2018.
Many fans don't believe that this three players can play well together because they are all ball-dominant, but it seems that they are ready to share the spotlight in order to win a championship. It will take some time for them to learn how to play together, but their offensive power together with Steven Adams and Paul George's defensive abilities could make them a threat to the Golden State Warriors come playoff time.