2. The Carmelo Anthony Equation
Behind all the drama unfolding in New York right now, there’s a legitimate point to be made here. While the Knicks themselves likely won’t be in playoff contention heading down the stretch, they can change the dynamic of the Eastern Conference in one fell swoop. That would include moving enigmatic forward Carmelo Anthony. Heck, a potential trade here could change the entire dynamic of the NBA title race. That’s not hyperbole.
All the talk has surrounded Anthony’s relationship with Knicks president Phil Jackson. That’s fine and dandy. America is at a point where she loves drama. She loves reality television. But Anthony himself is still a heck of a player. The All-Star headed into the break averaging 23.4 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting at a 38 percent mark from distance. Scorers like this don’t hit the trade block too often.
Let’s assume for a second that Melo going to Cleveland is out of the equation. It seems to be. But what if a team like the Boston Celtics were to make a play for the All-Star? With the emergence of Marcus Smart at guard, Boston could potentially get away with dealing Avery Bradley in any trade involving Anthony. Add in a couple picks and salary cap fillers, and this isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
It’s all pure conjecture here, but any trade that sends Anthony to an Eastern Conference contender could potentially shake up the playoffs. The same could be said if a team like the Los Angeles Clippers or Houston Rockets could pull off a trade for the future Hall of Famer. It’s definitely something to think about heading into the trade deadline.