NBA Trade News: Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin Trade Heats Up Again, Deal Makes Sense For NY Knicks, L.A Clippers
The New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Clippers could reportedly make a trade that would surely shake the entire league to its core. Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin, two surefire superstars in their own right, could switch places before the midseason trade deadline.
In an earth-shaking deal, Anthony and third-year shooting guard Iman Shumpert going to the Clippers while Blake Griffin, Ryan Hollins, Jared Dudley and possibly a first round pick going to the Knicks.
This trade scenario really appears crazy on paper, but this blockbuster deal really makes sense for both the Championship-aspiring Clippers and the struggling Knickerbockers.
In an article by Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Reports, he tackled the chances of the blockbuster deal between the Knicks and the Clippers and the reason why the latter is the only team capable of facilitating such high-profile transaction.
"The overall cloudy Knicks picture suggests that [Carmelo] Anthony might force his hand to make the one and only trade that's best for him this season and beyond: going to the Clippers," Zwerling said in its article via SB Nation.
"In that scenario, a compelling blockbuster deal that fits money-wise would be Anthony and shooting guard Iman Shumpert for [Blake] Griffin, small forward Jared Dudley and center Ryan Hollins. A deal-breaker could be a future first-round pick to the Knicks," he added.
Sensible Trade
A league executive believed the Clippers are already pretty good team, but they can improve dramatically if they can land a player with an ability to create his own shot at the post.
"Now, the Clippers are a team," a source close to the Clippers said of that proposition via Bleacher Report. "Right now, they're not good enough with the Heat or the Pacers. Blake is not good enough."
Unlike Griffin, Anthony can score on the shaded lane with relative ease, and his life will be much easier if he can finally have an elite level point guard on his back. Since joining the Knicks three years ago, Anthony has been searching for an All-Star point guard. But all backcourt help he got during that three-year span were regressing Chauncey Billups, retiring Jason Kidd and an inconsistent Raymond Felton.
Jeremy Lin could have been the solution to the Knicks' woes at the point guard position, but he didn't have a solid chemistry with Anthony, who likes to have the ball on his hand in almost every possession.
Meanwhile, the Knicks will have an instant highlight reel and another marketing machine in Griffin. Griffin has been a double-double menace for his first four seasons in the league, though analysts still criticized his game at the post. Nevertheless, the 24-year old power forward has still many years ahead of him to add more dimensions to his game, and the Knicks have the patience to wait for his transformation.
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