The NBA is still reeling days after Carmelo Anthony waived his no-trade clause to facilitate a trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Thunder General Manager Sam Presti pulled off what could be remembered as the most impactful trade of the 2017 offseason.
Especially if what Anthony said on SiriusXM Radio is true. Frank Isola, via Twitter, says that the 15-year vet claims a trade to the Houston Rockets “was done,” but for “some reason…it didn’t go through.”
Carmelo Anthony tells @SiriusXMNBA that "a deal was done with Houston" in early July but that for "some reason…it didn't go through."
— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) September 28, 2017
It was no secret that the 33-year-old’s preference was to be traded to the Houston Rockets. The Rockets offered Anthony the chance to play with his Banana Boat buddy, Chris Paul, and MVP runner-up James Harden.
It’s difficult to determine what could have derailed a potential deal between the Rockets and New York Knicks.
Reportedly, the Rockets were having trouble finding a team that would take on Ryan Anderson’s mammoth 4-year $80 million contract. Any team that traded for the stretch-four would owe him $19 million this season.
The Knicks had minimal choice to move Anthony when the 10-time All-Star expanded his list of desired destinations to include the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Thunder. Many fans and pundits presumed small-market Oklahoma City was a longshot to land him.
Presti needed only to relinquish Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a 2nd round pick gained from the Chicago Bulls. The trade added value to a team that already possessed Westbrook and Paul George.
It should be noted, however, that Houston was Anthony’s first choice. The Gold-Medalist will be committed to the Thunder this season. Anthony’s drive to play meaningful basketball is too high to deter to another situation.
I can’t help but wonder if things don’t mesh – and there is overwhelming evidence that they should – is there a possibility that Anthony would ask for a trade down interstate 35 to Houston.
