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ESPN reported on Wednesday that the New York Knicks unsuccessfully tried to lure the Cleveland Cavaliers into a deal that would have sent Kevin Love to the Big Apple in exchange for Carmelo Anthony. Today brings a new rumor, courtesy of Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
Woj reported on Thursday morning that the Knicks have also reached out to the L.A. Clippers and Boston Celtics in an attempt to gauge their interest in acquiring the All-Star swingman.
Knicks president Phil Jackson is reportedly “determined” to move Anthony before the trade deadline rolls around on February 23. After a fairly encouraging start to the season the Knicks have fallen on hard times. New York has won just seven of their last 24 games overall to fall three back of the final playoff spot in the East entering play on Thursday.
Woj gave no word on what the Knicks would be asking for in return from the Clippers, but one would imagine the conversation began with Blake Griffin. Griffin will almost surely opt out of his current deal this summer in an attempt to cash in on a new contract, which puts his future with the Clips in question.
LAC could deal Griffin if he has given them word that he plans on moving on over the summer, but there is zero indication that he has made his future plans known to anybody in the Clipper organization.
Melo has a no-trade clause, but would reportedly waive it in order to join the Clippers or the Cavaliers. Anthony is owed about $54 million over the final two years of his deal, including the remainder of his $24 million salary this season. To make matters even more complicated, his contract includes a 15 percent trade kicker, about which you can read in more detail here.
It is possible for the Clippers to get a deal done without involving any of the current big three, but the Knicks would have to settle for lesser assets in return.
If Doc Rivers is staunch in his refusal to deal Griffin, the Celtics likely have more appealing assets than the Clips do to fork over in a trade for Anthony. Of course, there is no word that Boston is particularly intrigued by the notion of picking him up, either.