The No-Trade Clause Blues: How Knicks Could Get Carmelo Anthony out of NYC
We're all familiar with the Carmelo Anthony conundrum. He is a great basketball player but no longer good enough (if he ever was) to carry the lowly New York Knicks, who don't want him around anymore, which is fine because he doesn't want to be there.
Should be simple, right? Except these are the Knicks we're talking about. Simple isn't in the playbook.
The teams that can afford Anthony's massive contract are not ones he's interested in joining (meaning he won't waive his no-trade clause). The teams he's interested in joining (the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers) can't afford him.
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But this relationship can't go on. The thing is, the no-trade clause puts Anthony in control.
Still, maybe it's time for Anthony to start thinking about other options outside of Houston and Cleveland. Here, then, are creative options for him to consider waiving his no-trade clause for.
The deal: Evan Turner, Ed Davis and a first-round pick to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Blazers
Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum have stepped up their recruiting games. Joe Freeman of the Oregonian tweeted: "CJ McCollum on Carmelo Anthony's reaction to his pitch for Blazers: 'I think he's interested.'"
However, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski noted "Portland is not an option."
But maybe Anthony is being a bit close-minded. Portland is a fun city, and a three-headed attack of Lillard, Anthony and McCollum would be interesting. The Pacific Northwest is home to Nike and the kind of tech companies that fit Anthony's interests.
This would be a no-brainer for the Blazers. They get to shed Turner's awful deal, and the addition of Anthony would morph them into a feisty Western Conference team.
As for the Knicks, this isn't a haul to write home about. The three years remaining on Evan Turner's contract are troublesome, for one.
But at this point they have no better options. Getting rid of Anthony and receiving a first-round pick in exchange is something the Knicks would have to consider.
The Deal: Greg Monroe and Spencer Hawes to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Bucks
If we're searching for homes that make sense from a basketball standpoint, the Bucks are an interesting option.
For one, they're already good, and they play in the Eastern Conference. The last time Anthony partnered up with current Bucks head coach Jason Kidd, he and the Knicks won 54 games.
A core of Anthony, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker in the East might be enough to sneak into the conference finals. And in taking the expiring contracts of Monroe and Hawes, the Knicks would position themselves to be major players in next summer's free-agent market.
The Deal: Marcin Gortat, Markieff Morris and Jason Smith to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Wizards
The Wizards lose their starting center but add another gunner to slot alongside John Wall and Bradley Beal and relieve some of the pressure. The Knicks add some depth and create cap room for the summer of 2019.
Anthony would have to be a small-ball 4 without Morris and Gortat in the frontcourt, but that's where he's been most effective throughout his career anyways. Washington isn't too far from NYC, where Anthony has made it clear he wanted to stay in the past for family reasons.
The Deal: Tony Parker and Danny Green to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Spurs
It would be incredible to watch Anthony play for Gregg Popovich, a coach he'd have to respect. And it's not like the Spurs couldn't use Anthony's firepower, either. They'd miss Parker's leadership and Green's defense, but both areas can be filled.
Parker, meanwhile, is the perfect veteran point guard for rookie, and fellow Frenchman, Frank Ntilikina to learn under. And Green would make for an ideal partner alongside Tim Hardaway Jr. (though the Knicks would have to shop Courtney Lee afterward).
The Deal: Brook Lopez to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Lakers
From a lifestyle standpoint, Los Angeles checks all of Anthony's boxes: Lots of media. Good for the brand. Nice weather.
The problem is the on-court product. After all, if he wanted to continue trekking along for a big-market team with personnel issues, why not just remain in New York?
The difference is the Lakers appear closer to contention than the Knicks. They have a plethora of young prospects (Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle) and, most importantly, have positioned themselves to be a major player in next year's free-agent market.
So what about sending Lopez back to the New York area in exchange for Anthony. Sure, this will eat up some of the Lakers' precious cap space, but at least they can then unleash Anthony as a recruiter and try to lure some other members of Team Banana Boat like LeBron James and/or Chris Paul. Meanwhile, the Knicks get to clear cap space for this summer.
The cherry on top: Carmelo and Jeanie Buss could share lots of Phil Jackson-related laughs.
The Deal: Nic Batum to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Hornets
Carmelo could hang out with MJ all day, which would be fun, and, as a Jordan Brand athlete, beneficial. Also, he'd stay in the East, where a team built around him and Kemba Walker could do some damage.
We know the Hornets are open to gambling on players as a way to mitigate their limitations in the free-agent market (Dwight Howard, for instance), so they'd have to take Anthony without hesitation.
The question is: Are the Knicks so desperate to rid themselves of Carmelo that they'd take back Nic Batum and the $99 million owed to him over the next four years?
This is a franchise that just handed Ron Baker and Tim Hardaway Jr. about $80 million. Meaning: You never know.
Batum plays a more democratic style of basketball. If the Knicks' sole concern is shipping Anthony out of town for chemistry reasons, Batum could make for a nice veteran leader to help usher in the Kristaps Porzingis era.
The Deal: Harrison Barnes to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Mavericks
Both Barnes and Anthony make similar money. Barnes does have three years left on his deal compared to Anthony's two, but, hey, the Knicks just threw all the money in the world at Hardaway Jr. because he's young. Why not go for Barnes, too?
As for the Mavericks, they get to pair Dirk Nowitzki with another lethal scorer. You can make the case that Anthony, even now, would be the best player to ever play alongside Dirk. And Anthony could then lead Dallas' free-agency recruiting next year.
Bonus points awarded for Texas' lack of a state income tax.
The Deal: Tobias Harris and Ish Smith to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Pistons
Another middling Eastern Conference team that, with the addition of Carmelo, could soar up the standings.
What do you think of an Andre Drummond, Anthony, Avery Bradley, Reggie Jackson foursome? Not bad, right? All the Pistons would have to do is send Tobias Harris and Ish Smith back to New York.
As for the Knicks, they get their starting point guard and a solid two-way forward to replace Anthony. And they get that cap room a year early.
The Deal: Dragan Bender, Jared Dudley and Brandon Knight to the Knicks; Carmelo Anthony to the Suns
Carmelo gets to swap New York's clouds for the desert sun. Also, he's just a short trip from L.A.
No, he won't be playing for a strong team, but think of this as his retirement tour. He gets to play out his final years in a nice city where no one will think twice about him. It's a perfect way to spend one's basketball golden years. And with him, Devin Booker and Josh Jackson, the Suns can chase the postseason.
The same can be said for the Knicks, who, by bringing in Dudley and Brandon Knight, morph into a borderline playoff team. When in the history of the franchise have they turned that opportunity down? Add in Bender, last year's No. 4 pick, and you have a solid haul.
Yaron Weitzman covers the Knicks and NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @YaronWeitzman, and listen to his Knicks-themed podcast here.
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