The Cleveland Cavaliers reportedly don’t want Carmelo Anthony. But that doesn’t mean the New York Knicks are intent on keeping him.
The Knicks have reached out to the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers, along with the Cavs, to gauge their interest in a trade involving Anthony, The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Chris Mannix reported Thursday, citing league sources.
Anthony has a no-trade clause, but Knicks president Phil Jackson is “determined” to deal the veteran forward before the NBA’s Feb. 23 trade deadline and start rebuilding around Kristaps Porzingis, per The Vertical’s report.
Anthony still is a top-level scorer at 32 years old, entering Thursday averaging 22.7 points per game. A report also surfaced Tuesday that Boston could be the best landing spot for the nine-time All-Star given its bounty of assets and need for scoring on the wing.
Anthony wouldn’t come cheap, though — Â he’s earning $24.6 million this season and has $54 million remaining on the final two years of his contract — and it seems unlikely the Celtics would part with any of their most valuable assets to take a gamble on the aging superstar.
According to The Vertical, Los Angeles would be a more likely destination for Anthony, as the Clippers reportedly “are a team that would interest” him.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
