There have been new NBA trade rumors coming out on a daily basis about New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony since he proclaimed that he would waive his no-trade clause for a chance to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Los Angeles Clippers (per Fansided ). The original source of this information is writer Charley Rosen, who is a close personal friend and confidant to Carmelo Anthony.
Another Knicks player, point guard Derrick Rose, has also become part of the rumor mill recently. Rose is playing on an expiring contract that could be of great value to a team looking to clear cap space, and Yibada reported that Rose could be part of a transaction that would also include combo guard Jordan Clarkson, small forward Luol Deng and Carmelo Anthony.
iSports Times discussed a trade scenario that would have Carmelo Anthony going to Cleveland to join LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Others mentioned in this rumored proposal include shooting guard Lou Williams, shooting guard Iman Shumpert and center Tristan Thompson. Clearly, there is some thought that something might be brewing between New York, Cleveland and Los Angeles in the trade market.
Current NBA trade rumors are pointing toward a potential deal between the aforementioned franchises. The exact specifications of this hypothetical swap would begin by seeing Carmelo Anthony head west to play for the Cavaliers. The Lakers would acquire Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert and Tristan Thompson, while the Knicks would welcome four new players to Gotham: Jordan Clarkson, Lou Williams, Luol Deng and point guard DeAndre Liggins. Incidentally, this would be a legal deal under NBA trade and salary cap constraints.
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This theoretical proposal would seem to cause more problems for the Cleveland Cavaliers than it would be worth. With LeBron James and a rejuvenated Kevin Love on the team, the Cavs wouldn’t have a starting spot available for Anthony. This swap would also weaken three other positions that are already lacking in depth (point guard, shooting guard and center). In short, this move would not make sense for Cleveland.
If the New York Knicks do decide to unload Carmelo Anthony, this rumored offer does not appear to be the one that will make that happen. Not only would they have to take on the overpaid Luol Deng, but they would get worse at small forward and point guard, without improving markedly at any position. The Knicks would need more value to move Anthony and Rose, and this potential deal just doesn’t have it.
Defensive-minded guard Iman Shumpert would be a nice addition to the Los Angeles Lakers (since defense is perhaps the team’s biggest deficiency). However, the team has already committed a great deal of money to center Timofey Mozgov, so bringing in another high-priced center who is not a star performer wouldn’t be logical. Derrick Rose is still a quality player despite his injury history, and he doesn’t seem to be a good fit with young Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell, who also needs a lot of time on the court.
The latest NBA trade rumors are buzzing about a possible deal involving the Cavaliers, Knicks and Lakers. This rumored scenario is a good example of a deal that works well in terms of the NBA’s trade and salary cap rules, but does not appear to be a good move for any of the teams mentioned. Not only do trade proposals have to be approved by the NBA, but they have to offer benefit to each of the teams in terms of talent, fit or contract considerations. In that sense, this rumored deal is a complete bust.
[Featured Image by Kathy Willens/AP Images]