Knicks, Rockets working on Carmelo Anthony trade scenarios

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...wish-list-teams-including-cleveland-cavaliers

Carmelo Anthony, a 10-time NBA All-Star, has delivered the New York Knicksan expanded list of teams -- including the Cleveland Cavaliers -- with which he'd be willing to waive his no-trade clause, league sources told ESPN.

After the Knicks insisted that they were unable to make a deal with the Houston Rockets, his primary trade destination, Anthony and his representatives honored New York's request and furnished at least two more teams within the past 10 days, league sources told ESPN.

One of the known teams on the list, Cleveland, was part of Anthony's original group of preferred destinations prior to Chris Paul's trade to the Houston Rockets in late June. The Rockets remain Anthony's most desired location, but he's worked to accommodate New York to try and find a trade before the start of the season, league sources said.

Anthony, 33, is expected to report to the team's media day on Monday, the eve of the opening of New York's preseason training camp. On Anthony's part, there had been an expectation that a trade would be completed before the start of training camp. There is expected to be significant tension between Anthony and the Knicks once he reports to camp, and it is clear that could continue to be a scenario at odds with the franchise's desire to start rebuilding around a young core.

Anthony has been urging the Knicks to show urgency in their pursuit of a trade before the season, league sources said. The Knicks made a preliminary call to the Cavaliers on Monday, but the two sides haven't exchanged trade ideas, league sources told ESPN. Cleveland has to weigh the fact that Anthony, with two years, $54 million left on his contract, could opt into the $27.9 million in the final year of his deal for 2018-'19 --- when LeBron James could be gone in free agency, and Cleveland may be embarking on a rebuild.

New York had discussions with Houston, but have found no pathways to a deal, league sources said. Since the hiring of Scott Perry as general manager in July, New York changed course on the asking price for Anthony and have been pushing for a return of assets that Houston is unable to provide. Perry has been looking for a scoring wing to replace Anthony's production, short-term contracts and draft assets, league sources said.

Anthony has hoped to join Paul and James Harden with the Rockets, but heeded the Knicks desire to work off an expanded list of teams to find a deal, league sources said. New York has been unwilling to accept Ryan Anderson as part of a deal with Houston, who is owed three-years and $60 million on his contract.

New York's two top basketball executives, Perry and president Steve Mills, have been both published blogs on the team that made no mention of Anthony. Under ex-President Phil Jackson, the Knicks had been pushing for Anthony to waive his no trade for over a year --- only to backtrack on executing a deal once Jackson was pushed out, and Perry took over as GM.

"Look, Carmelo's going to be back here," Perry said Friday at the team's training facility. "Carmelo has always been a professional. That's one thing I've always respected about him. I think he can set a good example for the young players. He's been a 10-time All-Star. If he's back here with the New York Knicks, we expect him to be the professional he's always exemplified throughout his career and move forward with him."​

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Hoping they can deal Carmelo Anthony before training camp, the Knicks reached out to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the last 10 days to gauge their interest in a possible trade, a source told the Daily News.

Although Anthony still desires Houston as a destination, the Knicks have not budged on their stance to reject the Rockets' offer of Ryan Anderson and his large contract. The Knicks, according to a source, believe Anthony is amenable to joining the Cavs as an alternative, to play with buddy LeBron James for the three-time defending Eastern Conference champs.

According to a source, the Knicks also reached out recently to a third team they think Anthony would waive his no-trade clause to join. That team, according to a source, is not the Blazers, whose backcourt stars - Damian Lillian and CJ McCollum - have openly recruited Anthony this offseason.

The Knicks and former team president Phil Jackson engaged the Cavaliers in talks for Anthony around last season's trade deadline, but Cleveland was unwilling to part with Kevin Love. It's unclear what the Knicks are seeking for compensation this time around. The Cavaliers also have a lot of uncertainty surrounding the franchise with LeBron entering free agency next summer amid rumors he's set on going to L.A.

On Friday the Knicks front office tandem of Steve Mills and Scott Perry said they expect Anthony to attend Media Day on Monday and the start of training camp on Tuesday.

Still, team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry both excluded Anthony from their State of the Knicks blogs on the team website. Perry said Friday he remains open to trading the Knicks' lone All-Star.

"At the end of the day, what we set out and what we said if there was something there that made sense both for him and the Knicks organization, then we would strongly consider it," Perry said.​

 

Cleveland, Portland, OKC, LA, Miami ... beats the hell out of rotting away in New York.

Here here @Zoplicone!