Trade rumors involving Carmelo Anthony continue to swirl with the deadline less than a month away, but ultimately the New York Knicks star can control his own fate. Any deal the team agreed to would require the approval of Anthony. Is he willing to give it?
Anthony has said several times over the past year-plus that he wants to remain in New York and finish what he started. However, there is a growing sense that Phil Jackson may not want him around much longer. If that’s the case, Carmelo says he’d have to reconsider his stance.
Marc Berman of the New York Post shared some interesting remarks Anthony made following Wednesday’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks:
After Wednesday’s 103-95 loss to the Mavericks, Anthony responded to the report in somber tones, saying, “Until management comes to me and says something, that’s something I look forward to. I really don’t have a reaction to it.”
Is the Knicks brass looking to passively force him out?
“I don’t know,” he said. “I honestly don’t know. Not something I can control.”
Repeating for the third time in 10 days, Anthony said he would listen if management came to him wanting to make a trade. He first expressed that in Toronto, angry over a Phil Jackson confidant, Charley Rosen, writing Anthony has “outlived his usefulness.”
“If they want to go in a different direction, I would have to consider it,” Anthony said Wednesday night. “But nobody has gotten in contact with me and it’s something I don’t worry about or am thinking about it.”
The latest batch of speculation was sparked by LeBron James saying the Cleveland Cavaliers need to add a “playmaker.” While all indications are that the Cavs have no interest in acquiring Carmelo and have even turned down an offer from the Knicks, Cleveland is supposedly one of the teams Anthony would waive his no-trade clause for.
Carmelo wouldn’t solve the Cavs’ problems, so that probably isn’t happening. But Jackson doesn’t seem to think Anthony solves the Knicks’ problems, either. The latter storyline is the one to watch going forward.
