NBA Trade Rumors: Is There A Chance That Carmelo Anthony Will Remain With the New York Knicks After This Offseason?
Anthony possesses a no-trade clause that gives him final say over any trade involving him
Heading into this offseason, one of the big storylines expected to develop is the one involving Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks.
The issues between the two parties have been well-documented, and it seems like that at this point, a separation is needed and perhaps even inevitable.
Before fans think too much about possible Anthony trades, however, they should know that a deal is not guaranteed to happen this summer.
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The first hurdle that needs to be cleared before any kind of deal can be made is Anthony's contract. Anthony's contract contains a no-trade clause that gives him power to say "no" to any trade that involves him, meaning the Knicks will have to find a trading partner that both they and Anthony are happy with.
Combine that clause with the remainder of Anthony's contract that could still allow him to receive more than $54 million over the next two seasons, per HoopsHype, and it is easy to see why trading him is no easy feat.
There are other hurdles to clear as well.
For instance, the list of teams that may be interested and capable of dealing for Anthony is not believed to be a long one, and it may be made even smaller if the star forward's interests are to be taken into consideration.
Sure, the consistently good but not great Los Angeles Clippers, who were desperate to break through to the Western Conference Finals, may consider bringing Anthony aboard, but they do not exactly have a treasure trove of assets to draw from so the Knicks may be forced to sell low here.
The Boston Celtics' being on the rise may also make them a team that Anthony will want to play for, but they may not be willing to give up that much for him as well. This might force the Knicks to give up a valuable player for a less than desirable return.
At this point in time, it seems like the Knicks may have to bite the bullet and sell low on Anthony if they really want to trade him this offseason, and that is not an easy thing to do. One thing the team could do though is to hold on to Anthony through this summer, hope he gets off to a great start next season and then revisit the idea of dealing him closer to the trading deadline.
It may seem like Anthony and the Knicks are due to part ways sooner rather than later, but that is by no means guaranteed to happen this offseason.
