Trade season is officially here, people! The yearly event is being brought in with a bang after a report from Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. According to Isola, there have been talks about a three-team deal that would send New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who would send Kevin Love to the Boston Celtics. The Knicks would presumably receive a package centered around draft picks and expiring deal, with former Knick and current Cav Timofey Mozgov as a possibility.
This trade is hard to digest due to its complexity. The Cavaliers feel the need to shake up the team in order to counter the Warriors or Spurs in the Finals. The Celtics would like to get a star to complete their team and put them into cofficial ontender status. The Knicks, meanwhile, have found a future star in rookie Kristaps Porzingis and it makes sense for them to move on from Melo’s large contract to build a young team around the rookie.
On the other hand, there are numerous factors to make each team think otherwise. Melo is older and despite his mostly great play this season, he is difficult to count on due to the high risk of injury. Furthermore, the Cavs have struggled to adjust to giving Love offensive opportunities with both Kyrie Irving and LeBron James demanding the ball. That struggle would likely become even larger with Anthony plugged into that spot.
The Celtics have been cautious about the use of their assets, including the Nets’ first round pick this season, and it is not clear whether they see Love as the attainable star they can get to put them over the top. Furthermore, New York would be wise to ask for someone like Marcus Smart to be added to the package and Boston may not be ready to move on from him.
The Knicks probably have the most to gain from the trade, allowing them to get valuable assets while getting rid of a giant contract to build around a new star. However, the question in that situation is that Melo has a no trade clause, allowing him to veto any trade sending him away from New York. Whether he believe going to Cleveland to pair up with his friend LeBron and potentially win a title is a worthy and attainable goal is another question, entirely. Nevertheless, one would assume that the Knicks are keeping constant contact with him to see his interest in waiving that no trade clause.
The complexity of this deal leads me to believe it will not happen, but there is just enough intrigue here to make one look out for it coming to fruition.
