Blake Griffin (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The New York Knicks is now the dominant team in NBA trade rumors because of the Carmelo Anthony saga and they are reportedly in deep talks with the Los Angeles Clippers.
After getting the boot from the Cleveland Cavaliers in a straight trade for Kevin Love, the Knicks have shifted their attention to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The easy assumption is that the Knicks are targeting Blake Griffin. There is already a section of Clippers fans and critics who believe that Anthony could actually be a better fit for the team than Griffin.
In this piece by Nathaniel Friedman of GQ, he believes that trading Griffin for Carmelo Anthony is "a deal that would give each team the fresh start it so badly needs, a deal so simple and obvious and, at least in theory, mutually beneficial."
The jury's still out on that though, but the premise is that the Clippers have survived-and even thrived on a more streamlined offense when Griffin was out. Still, Griffin is the younger player and has less baggage than Anthony. Also, the onus to trade is on the Knicks, not the Clippers. That is, on the assumption that Blake Griffin will re-sign with the Clippers.
However, more signs seem to shoot down this trade. In a recent report from ESPN writers Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein, the Clippers continue to maintain their hardline stance that they won't trade any of Griffin, DeAndre Jordan or Chris Paul.
Actually the Clippers have even become stingier because of the injury sustained by Paul. They are now "reluctant" to part with any two of JJ Redick, Jamal Crawford or Austin Rivers.
What's more, another roadblock for a Blake Griffin trade was also explained in the article.
The Knicks "also couldn't trade Griffin to the Knicks even if they wanted to.
League rules, under the NBA's current labor agreement, prevent teams from trading for two players who were signed by their original team to a designated player maximum contract extension. The Knicks already have one such player on their roster in Derrick Rose."
The Clippers and Knicks are now looking for a third team to facilitate a trade now, but Melo will still join the Clippers because he is unlikely to transfer to any other city aside from LA.
