The Cleveland Cavaliers are in slight turmoil; Kyrie Irving has requested a trade, and it doesn’t seem like LeBron James is entirely committed to sticking around past this season. Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks have a long-standing mutual interest in getting him out of there. Anthony has a no-trade clause and can, therefore, veto a trade to any team that he wishes. Anthony has a long-reported interest in teaming up with James Harden, and now Chris Paul, in Houston. Anthony has also been interested in joining that Cavs, but amidst the rocky situation in Cleveland, Anthony only wants to be a Rocket, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post:
Phil Jackson is out as president, but the franchise’s strategy hasn’t changed much. A stalemate has ensued as sources indicate Anthony only wishes to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Rockets. Not even Cleveland, which is in turmoil, is good enough for Anthony as the Cavaliers are dealing with Kyrie Irving’s trade demand.
The Knicks’ management tandem of Steve Mills-Scott Perry claim [sic] it won’t trade Anthony to Houston unless it cobbles together a solid deal that makes sense for the Knicks’ future. Nothing has materialized.
In fact, a source told The Post the signing of veteran point guard Ramon Sessions partly was due to him connecting better with Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis than did Derrick Rose, who left for Cleveland via free agency.
Bill Simmons of The Ringer also reported that the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team that acquired Paul George this offseason, is interested in Anthony and that the interest is mutual.
The Portland Trail Blazers have publicly recruited Anthony, but per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, that interest only goes one way. No matter how you look at it, Houston seems like the most probable destination for Carmelo Anthony.
