NBA Trade Rumors: Carmelo Anthony And Dwyane Wade To Cavs, Rajon Rondo To Knicks, Kevin Love To Bulls Highlight Eight-Player Deal

Some NBA trade rumors are more plausible than others, and there is one that is currently gaining traction on the internet that pushes the boundaries of belief. This trade scenario involves several star players and prominent teams, but just how conceivable is a blockbuster deal like this one?

There have been a number of recent NBA trade rumors targeting New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony, including this one from iSports Times, that points toward a potential deal that would send Carmelo Anthony to the Chicago Bulls. Yibada reports that there may have been some discussion regarding a possible trade between the Cavs and Bulls that would have them exchanging power forward Kevin Love and shooting guard Dwyane Wade. Chicago’s potential interest in Kevin Love is also the topic of this piece published by iTech Post.

Before hitting the rumor mill himself as of late, Carmelo Anthony told the New York Daily News that he is a proponent of Bulls point guard Rajon Rondo coming to the New York Knicks, and with Rondo now in Chicago’s doghouse, a deal involving Rajon Rondo appears more likely than ever. According to the New York Post, the Knicks and Rondo had mutual interest prior to last summer’s free agency period, but Rondo eventually signed with the Bulls.

The latest NBA trade rumors are heating up regarding a potential deal between the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls. The scenario that is being debated online would see Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, power forward Nikola Mirotic, and power forward Bobby Portis all heading to the Cavs. The Knicks would acquire Rajon Rondo and center Tristan Thompson, while the Bulls would receive Kevin Love and shooting guard Iman Shumpert. This creation of the rumor mill does in fact satisfy all NBA trade rules (per the ESPN NBA Trade Machine), so let’s take a closer look and see how this rather wild trade rumor stacks up.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers are leading the Eastern Conference with a 27-8 record, and they just filled a need by dealing for shooting guard Kyle Korver. The next task for Cavs’ management would seem to be finding a point guard to back up Kyrie Irving — but this trade would not address that need. Overall, the fit of the rumored incoming players would be very questionable for Cleveland.

Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James play the same position, but even if Anthony could play power forward in a smaller lineup, the team would have an overabundance of players at that position while still not shoring up their other weaknesses. The bottom line is: the Cavs will not make any significant changes to their roster unless an amazing deal comes along, and this rumored proposal would create as many problems as it would solve.

The New York Knicks may eventually move Carmelo Anthony, but this is not the deal that will make that happen. There is not enough value in the combination of Tristan Thompson and Rajon Rondo to justify unloading Anthony, and the fit of the incoming players is also not very good. Rondo wants to be a starter, but he won’t play ahead of Derrick Rose. The team has invested heavily in Joakim Noah, and while he’s been a disappointment thus far, Thompson would not be a difference-maker for New York.

This rumored trade proposal wouldn’t seem to make the Chicago Bulls a markedly better team when looking at the way their roster is constructed. They would be improved at power forward, but weaker at shooting guard as a result of this deal. Additionally, it is not plausible that Cleveland would trade Kevin Love now that he is playing exceptionally well. The Cavs have a plan, and it does not include shipping out any of their core players — and Kevin Love has made himself a huge part of that core with his stellar play this season.

This item from the latest group of NBA trade rumors circulating in cyberspace hints at a monster transaction between the Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls that would involve stars such as Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, and Kevin Love. This particular rumor is clearly an example of a “fantasy trade” that is intriguing enough to be reported online and discussed among fans, but has no basis in reality.

[Featured Image by Matt Marton/AP Images]