NBA Trade Rumors: Miami Heat Looking To Pry Carmelo Anthony Away From Knicks

With the NBA trade deadline a little over a month away, many teams could still make any number of moves. The New York Knicks have been the team that has been mentioned most in the rumors with talk of acquiring Dwight Howard or DeMarcus Cousins or even Derrick Rose. While there has been a lot of talk of new talent coming in, one has to wonder what the Knicks would have to give up to get it, and one possibility is Carmelo Anthony who is being pursued by the Miami Heat.

The Miami Heat are having a much better season this year than they were last year. Currently, they’re 22-15 and sitting in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. They’re a mere five games out of first place, which is currently held by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

With the way they’re playing, just one puzzle piece could be missing from completion, and that piece may be Carmelo Anthony.

Some reports like the one from News Day are coming out and saying that Anthony is actually evolving and it is helping the Knicks so much. Still, some can’t help but think that there is indeed some bad blood, and Anthony is not ready to take over the mentor role, but still wants to lead.

It was less than a month ago that there was a good bit of frustration rumored from Anthony over the presence of Kristaps Porzingis in New York. Time isn’t on Carmelo Anthony’s side and he really wants to win a championship, but are the Knicks in place to do that in the next two or three years?

Over the past few weeks, the Knicks have started playing better ad are just 1.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the East. Still, they aren’t really championship material right now and the Heat look more qualified to get a ring now.

According to Movie News Guide, the Heat really want to establish themselves as the team that can compete with the Cavs for the East crown.

The Heat have a good starting five with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Hassan Whiteside, Luol Deng, and Goran Dragic. There are good back-ups in Gerald Green, Chris Anderson, and Udonis Haslam, but that still leaves the Heat with plenty of trade bait.

Justise Winslow is a great young talent that could really do well with the other youth on the Knicks’ roster and there’s always the possibility of the Heat giving Amar’e Stoudemire back. The Sun Sentinel has also now reported that the trade restrictions on both Beno Udrih and Jarnell Stokes has now been lifted meaning they can be traded.

Acquiring Carmelo Anthony and having him in the line-up the Miami Heat already have in place could really give them a boost. They’ve been playing well as it is and Anthony would only lift them closer to the top of the Eastern Conference.

The possibility for the trade is there, and the next two or three weeks will be very telling. If the Knicks end up faltering and dropping in the East before the All-Star break, look for them to want to make a few moves.

Should the Knicks move up in the playoff race, then they could very well hold onto all the pieces they have.

Carmelo Anthony’s time to win an NBA championship is running out by the season and that is why the trade rumors are really heating up. He wants a ring and the New York Knicks may not be able to give it to him, but the Miami Heat possibly can.

[Image by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images]