Carmelo Anthony has his heart set on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Anthony hasn’t officially split from the New York Knicks yet, of course. But it seems like an obvious conclusion to come to given the drama around him and the franchise, no matter what happens with team president Phil Jackson, who might be on his way out the door.
Keith Britton of 923 The Fan seemed to confirm this in a conversation with ESPN’s Chris Haynes:
.@ChrisBHaynes on @BullandFox re: Carmelo "If he gets a buyout, it's a pretty foregone conclusion from what I'm told, it would be Cleveland"
— Keith Britton (@KeithBritton86) June 27, 2017
We’ve noted in the past the Cavaliers already have an eye on Anthony and even Dwyane Wade if the players are bought out, which is one of the only ways the Cavaliers can afford to bring on top talent thanks to a lack of tradeable assets.
It seems like Anthony’s fondness for New York has all but expired, especially after these comments from Jackson, per ESPN’s Ian Begley:
“We’ve not been able to win with [Anthony] on the court at this time. I think the direction with our team is that he’s a player that would be better off somewhere else and using his talent somewhere where he can win or chase that championship.”
Rather than sticking out a rebuild in a place he likes, Anthony can force his hand to a contender of his choosing. He has a no-trade clause, meaning the Knicks might not have a choice but to buy him out after taking a torch to the bridge.
Anthony pairing with LeBron James would’ve seemed like a nightmare for the league even a few years ago. Now it’s an interesting situation, though not one guaranteed to take down the Golden State Warriors.
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