Carmelo Anthony Trade By Knicks? The Speculation Intensifies

The New York Knicks underwhelming season has left their fans, along with the rest of the basketball community, wondering how the team can rebound. The Knicks are currently on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, sitting just under .500. After naming Phil Jackson, the former New York Knicks player and 11-time NBA Championship-winning coach with the Bulls and the Lakers, as the President of the organization, fans are anticipating changes come this off-season.

While it’s clear that the Eastern Conference is having a down year, with only six teams with winning records and just two teams with fewer than 20 wins, the New York Knicks have had a particularly rough season. Despite the obvious talent on the court with the likes of Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and rising star Iman Shumpert, the Knicks have struggled with consistency for much of the season. There is no doubt that the Knicks’ front office is looking to make moves to free up some cap room and bring in some new talent.

Many thought that Anthony might be traded before the trade-line back in February, but now that the deadline had come and gone – and while it has not been confirmed that Anthony will in fact leave at the conclusion of this season – talks have begun again about long-term decisions that could be made. Among the teams interested in Anthony, most notably are the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls.

The Rockets, who are looking to build up their firepower, added Anthony to a lineup that includes sharpshooter James Harden and big man superstar Dwight Howard. The Lakers, who have also experienced a couple of disappointing seasons – especially with the loss of Kobe Bryant this season to injury – are looking to make a comeback, reported Bleacher Report. The Bulls are hoping to get back their injury-plagued superstar Derrick Rose and add on to the tremendous play they’ve received from Joakim Noah.

As the regular season comes to a close, the Knicks, who will likely miss the playoffs this season barring a dramatic turnaround, are certainly eyeing Anthony as their go-to move come this off-season. Trade negotiations will no doubt become highly publicized as the Knicks, Anthony, and the interested organizations discuss and come to an agreement.

– Sean Billings