Carmelo Anthony (Photo : Getty Images)
It is no secret that Carmelo Anthony cannot be traded without his own permission to do so, but recent rumors have suggested that the New York Knicks star could consider waiving his no-trade clause to join another team, where he has a better shot at winning a title.
Anthony has been the subject of trade talks lately as the February 2017 deadline draws near. Following the Knicks' loss to the lowly Philadelphia 76ers, Anthony reportedly went on a locker room tirade, which also sparked speculations about the nine-time All-Star's immediate future with the Knicks.
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders reported that Anthony is "unwilling" to waive his no-trade clause, but a report from Charley Rosen of FanRag Sports suggested that the veteran forward could be on the move, considering the team's struggles and Anthony's outliving his usefulness in New York.
Anthony is in the third-year of his five-year $124 million contract with the Knicks, which makes any potential deal for the star very difficult to orchestrate even with his own permission to do so. But there are still a handful of teams who could certainly use some help on the offensive end Anthony can provide.
Oklahoma City Thunder
After losing Kevin Durant this past summer, the Thunder have a huge void to fill: a star who can play next to Russell Westbrook. Anthony may not be as explosive and athletic as Durant, but he is still considered as a game-changer, particularly on the offensive end.
The Thunder have plenty of tradable assets to make a deal work, but it remains to be seen whether they are willing to part ways with several key players just to acquire an aging star like Anthony.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls could be a possible destination for Anthony, who could build his own version of a super-team with his good friend Dwyane Wade. Anthony would address the Bulls' lack of a scoring option at the frontcourt, and would provide the much-needed outside shooting.
However, a deal for Anthony could be too pricey for the Bulls. Plus, it would not make sense for the Bulls to acquire another heavy-iso player when they already have Butler and Wade on the team. Would the Bulls trade Butler for Anthony? It would work under the NBA salary guidelines, but highly unlikely Chicago would let go of their All-Star for Anthony.
Los Angeles Clippers
Anthony and Chris Paul are real good friends, which could make the Clippers as one of the few teams that has the chance to acquire the former should the Knicks decide to trade him.
A starting lineup of Paul, J.J. Redick, Anthony, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan has a great shot to topple the top teams in a stacked Western Conference, but the Clippers simply do not have the chips to facilitate a blockbuster deal.
The Knicks could be intrigued in swapping Anthony for Griffin, who could be a free agent in the summer of 2017. However, while it would be an arguably fair exchange of talents, New York could be cautious in acquiring a potentially one-year rental in Griffin.
Boston Celtics
It is no secret that Boston has plenty of tradable assets to facilitate a blockbuster move, and it is also certain that the team wants to acquire another proven star to help them compete again for titles.
Anthony has long been linked to the Celtics brass, and his presence could help the franchise in many ways. The Celtics were reportedly interested in trading for Anthony last February, and there is reason to believe the Cs could still be intrigued in adding the All-Star forward prior to this year's deadline.
However, it is still unclear whether the Celtics would consider breaking up its core roster to make room for a major trade. Any potential deal for Anthony would surely involve some of the Celtics' key players, and losing some of these guys may actually hurt Boston in the long-run.
Cleveland Cavaliers
If there is any chance Anthony would want to waive his no-trade clause, it would most likely be for a deal that would see him joining LeBron James in Cleveland.
Anthony joining the Cavs would set up the franchise in pole position to repeat as champions even against the Golden State Warriors' star-studded lineup. His ability to score and draw defenders would help the Cavs immensely, and Anthony's lack of defense won't be much of a factor for the defending champs.
But any deal would be easier said than done. The Cavs do not have the needed room to absorb Anthony's hefty contract and may have to unload several key players to make any deal potential deal work. Involving a third or fourth team could do the trick for the Cavs, but it would have to be a very complicated transaction for it to be possible.
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