Carmelo Anthony is one of only six players in the NBA with a no-trade clause. Things have gotten so bad with the New York Knicks this season that he is reportedly already willing to waive it.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, Anthony would be open to accepting a trade if Phil Jackson worked out a deal with a team Carmelo wanted to play for.
That doesn’t mean Anthony wants to be traded. That said, the report is fairly telling if true.
There are two major reasons Carmelo chose to remain in New York when he was a free agent last summer: they were able to offer him more money, and he believed that the addition of Jackson to the team’s front office would turn the Knicks into a championship contender. Plus, there’s the whole “finish what I started” angle for Anthony, who has never won an NBA title.
If Anthony really is open to being traded, it seems fairly obvious that he no longer believes in the direction of the 4-20 Knicks.
“He thought things would be better than this, but he still wants to stick it out for now,” a source reportedly told Berman. “He trusts Phil, but I think he’s afraid of Phil.”
The Knicks are on pace for their worst season in franchise history. Earlier this week, a report revealed that Anthony threatened to beat up a teammate during a game. The same report claims several Knicks player have grown tired of Carmelo’s selfishness and have voiced their displeasure to him.
Given how bad the Knicks have been, it would probably be difficult to convince Anthony that they are going to be a contender next season or even the year after that. If Jackson can trade him for high draft picks to a good team, it might be best for all parties.
