Wielding a no-trade clause, Carmelo Anthony can dictate his future: He can play out the remainder of his contract with the Knicks or waive the NTC in a potential trade elsewhere. The Rockets, who have NBA MVP runner-up James Harden and free agent acquisition Chris Paul in the fold, remain Anthony’s preferred destination, with the Cavaliers no longer a real priority. As Marc Berman of the New York Post writes, Anthony’s preference is handcuffing the Knicks as a potential trade with the Rockets may have too many hurdles to accomplish a trade of Anthony and receiving quality assets in return.
Berman notes that Anthony has yet to publicly speak on the trade rumors, but since he’s scheduled to appear at Coppin State for The Basketball Tournament, Anthony will likely speak in some form soon. Until then, the multiple time All-Star’s mindset is anybody’s guess; the only thing known is the reports citing his desire to play in Houston with his close friends. Even playing for ex-Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni, who Anthony feuded with in New York and now coaches the Rockets, would not be an issue. D’Antoni’s brother, Dan, a former Knicks assistant coach, spoke to the Post about his brother and the Knicks star joining forces again.
“There were a lot of things that went wrong, but Carmelo is a heckuva player,’’ D’Antoni said. “All I’m saying is Mike’s a good person. He understands people change, things change. Two things you can’t deny: Mike’s a helluva coach. Carmelo is a very good player. If those two see eye-to-eye, Mike and I are always optimistic things are meant to be. The next day is going to be better than the day before.”
It’s unclear when and if a trade is consummated this offseason but Anthony will remain a fixture in trade rumors.
Below you can read other news and notes around the Knicks:
- In the same piece, Berman notes that the Knicks’ signing of veteran point guard Ramon Sessions last week was because he connects better with Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis better than Derrick Rose did. Sessions is expected to provide a veteran presence and mentor the team’s first round pick, Frank Ntilikina, during the season and be another veteran if Melo stays.
- In a separate piece, Berman of the Post profiles Sessions’ career, revealing that the aforementioned Dan D’Antoni lobbied for the team to acquire him a decade ago. A decade into his career, Sessions will bring an unselfishness with the basketball that the team lacked with the score-first mentality of Rose last season.
- While Kyrie Irving and his name value would generate excitement in New York City, the Knicks should avoid mortgaging their future to acquire him, Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders and Dan Favale of Bleacher Report both write in separate articles. The sentiment from both scribes is similar: trading away future first round picks, this year’s first rounder, and current budding star like Willy Hernangomez will only handcuff the team forward. Also, as Beer mentions, Porzingis will likely not pass up a max deal in New York whereas Irving can hit the market in two years and is no sure bet remain with the Knicks if he gets there.
Carmelo being stubborn AF if he keeps saying the rockets he going to be stuck there for next year and this is why people say he’s selfish
Should he think about the future of the Knicks before he thinks about where he wants to go? If you were offered a better position elsewhere, would you say, “It’s a way better situation but if I leave, the company I work for now might suffer.” No, you wouldn’t. Calling Melo selfish for doing what everybody else would do in his shoes doesn’t make sense
When did I say carmelo should think about the future of the knicks?
You’re saying he’s being stubborn and selfish by only being willing to waive his ntc for Houston
I don’t personally think he’s selfish but it is partly his fault he’s in this situation he can find himself on the knicks till his contract is over
I this point unless the Knicks get what they want no need to trade. Let him comeback to this bad team this year. With or without him they are going to stink either way and if he really wants to leave don’t excercise the option next year and see if someone is willing to pay that.
Considering he signed a contract, he should honor it. No one forced him and it’s not like he’s on skid row. He’s just one of many with the AAU attitude.
That same contract offers him protection from being moved if he doesn’t want to be. It’s very hypocritical to point to a contract and cherry pick context.
Why care if the Knicks are better when he leaves? He’s not going to look back on that time as any successful moment.
Why would porzingis be more likely to re-sign with NY than irving? Irving only listed 4 preferences and NY was one. And hes from there. Folks from NY and miami are acting all backwater, talking flyover country talk.
And worrying about mortgaging the future… keep hernangomez. Lee and Oqiunn are more useful. But the pieces aren’t right regardless, with Melo/rockets blocking multiteam trades.
Do we all agree the initial trade for Anthony from the nuggets has been an unmitigated disaster
At this point Knicks should flat out refuse to trade him, an aged and disgruntles Melo is better than any return the can get unless he waived his no trade clause and trade kicker. If he wants out badly enough he will do just that. In two years when he can become a free agent few teams will want him and he will probably find it hard to capture the championship he desires. So yes Melo has the right to pick his destination but the Knicks have the right to make him miserable at the same time. So I ask the Knicks to please not trade him, let him dream of championships and his future, take away his ability to win. Just like his trade to the Knicks did for the franchise ….
I could not agree with you more. Melo has been a nightmare since he got here! I was one of the Knick fans at the time that was saying DONT trade for him!! They were doing fine with Stat that season and he was going to be a free agent anyway, I still get angry thinking about it.