Carmelo Anthony is still one of the best players in the National Basketball Association but that does not mean he is not an expendable for the New York Knicks. The Knicks and president Phil Jackson have sought teams to trade for the versatile forward and it looks like the Los Angeles Clippers would be Anthony's next destination as long as a third team participates in the trade, sources say.
The Knicks had been in contact with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics to deal the former All-Star but both teams declined. The Clippers reportedly are the only remaining team to make a possible deal with the Knicks but they are seeking for a third-team facilitator, ESPN reported.
Jackson and the Knicks seem to be desperate to trading Anthony as a deal with the Clippers will not include any of the Big Three of Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The likes of Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and J.J. Redick are the possible candidates if the trade comes in full circle.
The problem, however, is that Anthony has two years and roughly $53 million left in his contract and that is a huge amount to be handled by the Clippers, that is why there is a need for a third team to participate in the trade.
For Anthony, being included in trade talks in the past week, has been "mentally draining," Sporting News reported. The former third overall pick in 2003 said he now understand what former Knicks star Patrick Ewing went through when he was traded to the Orlando Magic.
This week has been tough for Anthony since for the first time in seven seasons, he is not named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team. And in the Knicks' victory against the Charlotte Hornets on Jan. 27, Anthony was booed when he missed a free throw.
Watch the video below of Max Kellerman and Stephen A. Smith discuss the Anthony trade: