The New York Knicks are back in the headlines for all the wrong reasons as they struggle to start the year. Carmelo Anthony has been in the middle of it and many are wondering if he would waive his no-trade clause in order to play for a contender.
Obviously, the Boston Celtics have been linked with Anthony since they have the right assets to make a trade. Should Celtics GM Danny Ainge trade for Anthony? The nine-time All-Star fills one of the needs of the Celtics which is scoring.
However, Anthony is not known for his defense and his isolation plays will surely affect Isaiah Thomas' production. The Celtics also need an interior defender and they are much better prioritizing it rather than a volume scorer.
Another problem in a possible trade for Anthony is the Knicks' asking price for him. They would probably want either or both of the Brooklyn Nets' first-round pick and the Celtics are not giving them up for a player like "Melo."
According to the New York Post, the Celtics could only offer their own first round pick in 2018, Jae Crowder, Amir Johnson and Jonas Jerebko. It is the highest Boston can offer and the Knicks would certainly want more.
"Boston would take a flier, but they aren't going to give up what the Knicks want. The reality is no one will. A large percentage of teams won't take him," one NBA GM told the Post.
It should be noted that FanRag Sports' Charley Rosen, who is a good friend of Phil Jackson, reported last week that Anthony will only waive his no-trade clause if he gets dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Los Angeles Clippers.
Nevertheless, the Celtics could trade for Anthony but they won't. They are certainly waiting for a different superstar to become available before the deadline. And if they cannot find out, the Celtics can always wait until draft night to strike a deal.
As for the Knicks-Anthony situation, the two sides have already talked about his future. Anthony has pledged his loyalty to New York and Phil Jackson. It might have worked since the Knicks defeated the Celtics on Wednesday night, 117-106.
Check out the video below to watch the game highlights of the Knicks' 11-point win over the Celtics at the TD Garden.