Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: NY Knicks Not Giving Up on Kevin Love
Trade rumors continue to plague the New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony, and it is only getting harder for him to bear. However, Anthony is remaining positive amid talks of being traded off, although he does acknowledge that it has been rather difficult.
After the Knicks' game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday night, Anthony weighed in on the rumors and explained that they have been "testing my will." The Knicks lost to the Cavaliers, 111-104.
"I'm still keeping it [mellow], still keeping it cool, man. It definitely kind of tests you, can put you to the test," Anthony admitted to ESPN. "You have to dig deep within yourself to get through it on a day-to-day basis, figure out a way how to still go out there and play at a high level every night, play hard, lead this team."
Speculation has been growing that Knicks president Phil Jackson is highly intent on trading Anthony off to some other team. A trade for the Cleveland Cavaliers' Kevin Love was apparently proposed last month, but it was denied. Rumors of a trade being facilitated with the Oklahoma City Thunder have also made its rounds online.
However, it appears that Jackson is not going to give up on the hope of trading with the Cleveland Cavaliers. According to ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne and Marc Stein, the New York Knicks are still adamantly pursuing a trade involving Anthony and Love, even though negotiations already broke down the first time around.
This does not mean, though, that the Cleveland Cavaliers are not interested in getting Anthony on their team. Sources apparently told the sports publication that Anthony is still a viable option, but the Cavs want to keep Love off the table.
Apart from the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, the New York Knicks are also reportedly in talks with the Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics. However, the decision is ultimately up to Anthony, who has a no-trade clause in his contract - something which allows him to choose which team to be traded off to or not be traded at all.