After being on the “2-yard line” of a trade to Houston could Melo being staying in the Big Apple with the Knicks?
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Adrian Wojnarowski are reporting the Knicks fresh off of finding a new General Manager are having second thoughts on trading Melo.
The New York Knicks are pausing trade talks centered on Carmelo Anthony and want to pursue a conversation with the eight-team NBA All-Star about possibly reincorporating him into the organization, league sources told ESPN.
After talking with the Houston Rockets and Cleveland Cavaliers for nearly a month to help engineer deals for Anthony, the Knicks told both teams that they’re stepping back from trade talks for a short time, league sources said. Anthony had become eager to waive his no trade clause to join either team.
The departure of Phil Jackson as president — and the impending arrival of Sacramento executive Scott Perry as general manager — has pushed the franchise’s top basketball executive Steve Mills to reconsider the Knicks’ intentions on trading Anthony, league sources said. It is believed the timing of that communication with Houston and Cleveland coincided with the clandestine negotiations that were ongoing with Sacramento and Perry, the Kings VP of Basketball Operations.
The Knicks want Anthony to meet with the new front office and coach Jeff Hornacek in the near future, but it’s unlikely that Anthony will respond with eagerness about a plan to reincorporate himself into a franchise that has been pushing him — publicly and privately — to accept a trade out of New York, league sources said.
Anthony has been fully focused on getting a deal done, especially with advanced talks that surrounded Houston. The Rockets were working on a four-team trade with the Knicks that had gained traction throughout the week, league sources said. The Rockets have been eager to partner Anthony with Chris Paul and James Harden.
Earlier Thursday, the Knicks reportedly had found their new General Manager in Kings VP Scott Perry. The move is expected to be made official once the Kings and Knicks can come to an agreement on financial compensation for Perry.
The sudden change in decision by New York is baffling but perfectly fits their tumultuous roller coaster offseason. The Knicks original intent for their roster was characterized as a youth movement with players age 25 and under. Currently their core include key notable youngsters in Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, Frank Ntilikina and the newly signed Tim Hardaway Jr. Keeping Melo seems to fly in the face in such a plan and hinder a true rebuild attempt.
The timing of this news is peculiar as the Knicks were working in concert with Houston to recruit teams in a 4-team trade for Carmelo Anthony. Further adding to the unpredictability of the moment is the fact Carmelo’s agent Leon Rose was spotted in Houston earlier today, ahead of Chris Paul’s introductory press conference tomorrow.
At this point there shouldn’t be a result coming from New York which should shock anyone.