New York Knicks Trade Rumors: Will Team Become Buyers At Trade Deadline To Help Carmelo Anthony?
New York Knicks trade rumors about Carmelo Anthony are nothing new, but the current NBA season has a twist to offer the potential scenarios. Though the updated NBA standings depict that the Knicks have lost two straight games, the team is still tied for the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Anthony and Knicks point guard Derrick Rose missed the last game, which was a loss to the Golden State Warriors on the road. The team is now 2-2 on a road trip that ends against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday (Dec. 17).
The acquisition of Rose from the Chicago Bulls, the continued improvement of Kristaps Porzingis, and new head coach Jeff Hornacek have the Knicks playing much better basketball. Now the team and its fans are getting linked to NBA trade rumors that revolve around adding assets to the roster, rather than subtracting them in order to get younger. If the Knicks keep winning basketball games, the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors are going to remain dormant, even if Phil Jackson creates another distraction within the front office.
A report by the New York Times indicated that Anthony and Jackson met to clear the air about a recent interview the Knicks president had given. In that interview, Jackson had made comments about Anthony’s friend LeBron James, who felt the Knicks GM was being disrespectful. This created a whole new set of New York Knicks rumors, ranging from Jackson getting fired to Anthony demanding a trade. Jackson is still in charge and Anthony hasn’t made any such demands, keeping the team on track to meet its goal of getting back to the postseason.
The Knicks have been playing well on offense, but the team still has a lot of holes on defense. Statistically speaking, the Knicks have one of the worst defenses in the entire NBA, giving up an average of 107.2 points per game. That is the second-worst mark in the Eastern Conference, behind only the 114.6 points per game that the Brooklyn Nets are allowing. On offense, the Knicks are averaging 104.5 points per game, putting the team in the top half of the league. The obvious problem is, that despite having a winning record, the Knicks are posting a negative point differential.
The NBA trade deadline falls on February 23, giving the team two more months to secure a strong position in the Eastern Conference. The team will have to find sustained success in order to convince the front office to make additional acquisitions, which could then lead to some very interesting New York Knicks trade rumors. With players potentially available like DeMarcus Cousins of the Sacramento Kings, Andrew Bogut of the Dallas Mavericks, Taj Gibson of the Chicago Bulls, and Nerlens Noel of the Philadelphia 76ers, some deals could be on the horizon.
Failing to stay in the playoff race will inevitably lead to separate New York Knicks trade rumors, including the team potentially dealing Derrick Rose. Rose is a free agent in the NBA offseason, so the team may see him as a short-term asset to turn into a younger package of players. In 23 games with the Knicks this season, Rose is averaging 16.4 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.0 rebounds per game. He has become an important cog for the team, sometimes showing the burst of energy and talent that won him an MVP award with the Chicago Bulls.
How far the Knicks go this season will depend entirely on how well Carmelo Anthony and Derrick Rose play. That includes the star players remaining healthy and on the court to continue leading this team. There are a lot of components to the roster that make this Knicks team much more exciting to watch than in the past few years. What fans want to see, though, are playoff games at Madison Square Garden. For that to happen, the addition of a defensive-minded player or two is needed, thus leading to the New York Knicks trade rumors picking up steam again.
[Featured Image by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images]
