The Knicks have lost nine of 11. Derrick Rose went AWOL and is reportedly getting frustrated with coach Jeff Hornacek. New York’s defense is causing squabbling.
Does Carmelo Anthony – who holds a no-trade clause – want to stick around?
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders:
This was before the Knicks lost to the 76ers and before Anthony got booed by New York fans, but I doubt a single game or single fan reaction will swing him. This is a big-picture decision.
Anthony appears happy in big-market New York, and he says he’s secure in his basketball legacy. You might think Anthony should leave so he can contend for his first NBA championship, but he doesn’t seem to think that way.
That said, if Anthony has second thoughts, he’s incentivized to explore those as soon as possible. The window for maximizing his trade kicker is now open. If dealt today, Anthony would receive a $10,076,089 trade bonus. That amount drops $21,670 daily until the trade deadline. It’d be $8,125,785 in the offseason and then continue declining throughout next season.
Obviously, a trade wouldn’t be up to just Anthony. The Knicks don’t have to deal him, and with 31-year-olds Joakim Noah and Courtney Lee locked up long-term, rebuilding around Kristaps Porzingis wouldn’t be a simple pivot. In fact, a belief Anthony wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause might have persuaded Phil Jackson to build on Anthony’s timeline. Plus, it’d take another team to deal for the highly paid star on the wrong side of 30.
Anthony has repeatedly said he won’t approve a trade from New York, but as the Knicks rot, it’s always good to get an update on his thinking.