With DeMarcus Cousins being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, one of the few big names left on the trade market is the Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony. But that situation remains in a stalemate.
Team president Phil Jackson wants nothing more than to trade Anthony, and reportedly the Knicks have been in contact with teams like the Clippers, Celtics and Cavaliers about a possible deal. Those three teams are reportedly the only places for which Anthony would waive his no-trade clause. However, since this whole drama started, Anthony has repeatedly said he has no plans to waive his no-trade clause and is quite happy to be playing in New York. On top of that, there was a report Sunday that the Knicks likely won’t trade Anthony before the Feb. 23 trade deadline.
This is all fine for Anthony because, as he told The Undefeated’s Marc Spears, he is in no rush to get traded from the Knicks:
“I haven’t figured out a situation that makes sense for both parties. I am not the kind of guy who just goes out there and says, ‘Get me outta here … get me outta here,’ without having a plan. It’s bigger than that,” Anthony told The Undefeated after Sunday night’s NBA All-Star Game.
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“Mentally I’m good. For me, I’m trying to compartmentalize it and deal with it to be able to focus and have a clear mind. I’m just trying to play basketball and have fun. Sometimes I feel like I am not allowing it to be fun with everything going on. The last two months has been about me trying to enjoy the game,” Anthony said.
Again, this is the same message Anthony has been sticking to since Day 1. Unless the Knicks come to him and tell him that they want to start a rebuild, he wants to remain with the team. And since Jackson hasn’t done that so far, Anthony, with his no-trade clause, is very likely not going to go anywhere.
We only have a little less than three days before this trade drama surrounding Anthony and the Knicks comes to an end. Let’s hope it either comes to a definitive conclusion or that we won’t hear about it again until the offseason.
