The Knicks really, really want to trade Carmelo Anthony

New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony (7) and Courtney Lee (5) walk to the bench during a time out in an NBA basketball game against the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017, in Dallas. We got to play.

Taking it a step further, the likelihood of Melo being moved to the Cleveland Cavaliers, to play with his buddy LeBron James, was even more unlikely.

“If that’s the case, if that’s where it’s coming from, that side, I guess it’s a conversation we should have, ” Anthony said after the article came out. Their numbers are incredibly similar in regard to shooting percentage, scoring, assists and defensive rates, yet Love is averaging 44.5 percent more rebounds, which offers differentiation in value. Matthew Dellavedova left the Cavs as free agent status, and Lebron regretted that the Cleveland Cavalier Management allowed him to do so.

Yahoo Sports reported the Clippers are a team Anthony might consider joining. I don’t project a sizable shift in his counting stats, and his utter lack of defensive upside precludes me from getting very excited about Anthony’s fantasy ceiling. “But nobody has gotten in contact with me and it’s something I don’t worry about or am thinking about it”. The Knicks can try to line up a trade package and then seek Anthony’s permission.

Anthony was pretty much upset about the story, then went on to meet with Jackson and cleared things out that he meant to stay with the Knicks.

NY is getting outscored by 3.2 points per 100 possessions with Anthony on the floor – * a href=”http://stats.nba.com/players/advanced/#!?sort=NET_RATING&dir=-1&CF=GP*GE*30:MIN*GE*30&Season=2016-17&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&PlayerPosition=F&StarterBench=Starters” *the sixth-worst of any starting forward to play at least 30 minutes per game through 30 games this season. You have to consider that.

The proposed deal that would’ve involved Love made monetary sense because Cleveland’s power forward is earning $21.2 million this year and has three years remaining on his deal, valued at $72 million. You can say a lot of things about the Knicks, but not that they’re ever off-brand. “I don’t think he would not”.

Wherever Melo ends up, Jackson and the Knicks seem to simply want him gone.

Derrick Rose attributes every loss to defense – and did Wednesday. But the Cavaliers may not want Anthony. The Clippers are a viable option, and as long as Jackson is hard-pressed to deal Melo, the likelihood of a trade will be high.

Make no mistake about it, while Anthony may be a lightning rod he is still the face of the franchise.

Love’s not a takeover player.