NBA Trade Rumors: Carmelo Anthony To Clippers, Blake Griffin To Lakers, And Brandon Ingram to Knicks In Three-Team Blockbuster Deal?

Cue up the wild and absurd-sounding NBA trade rumors with the deadline about a month away. With some players reportedly unhappy with their team one moment and wanting to play for a championship contender, it has lent to the internet coming up with any sort of deals that might work, even when they involve All-Star caliber players getting shifted around. The latest rumors involve a Lakers’ future star and two teammates, as well as Clippers’ All-Star Blake Griffin and Carmelo Anthony of the Knicks. Could the Lakers, Clippers, and Knicks swing a huge blockbuster deal to shake up the current NBA landscape, or will they hold tight with their current rosters?

In a recent NBA rumors report here at the Inquisitr, the three young future talents on the Los Angeles Lakers roster were discussed. One of the biggest takeaways from recent reports is that the Lakers are not going to part ways with Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell or Brandon Ingram in the near future. In particular, it’s been mentioned that Ingram is still developing his talents and could be a major star on LA’s roster. However, that hasn’t stopped speculation from creeping in when it comes to figuring out major trade rumors to speculate about online. The latest NBA rumor includes the Lakers actually parting ways with the guy who is believed to be the biggest future star of their young roster, Brandon Ingram.

The Sportsrageous website is reporting on a “blockbuster” three-team trade that was developed through that magical ESPN NBA Trade Machine device that is available online. It would involve Melo finally moving to a possible contender as he’d get sent to the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference. The Clippers would have to part ways with longtime veteran Paul Pierce, and their All-Star power forward, Blake Griffin, as part of the deal. The Lakers would be the recipients of these two stars, and in exchange, they would send Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram, and Larry Nance Jr. to the New York Knicks. That would put New York back into a rebuilding mode as they’d develop around a guy considered a future star in the league, as well as emerging star Kristaps Porzingis.

However, the circulating reports are that Carmelo is staying put in New York and adhering to his no-trade clause. A FOX Sports pieces discussed NBA insider Chris Broussard’s comments on the FS1 Undisputed show with regards to Melo’s no-trade clause and what the Knicks can do to keep him happy in NYC.

“Now, if I’m the Knicks, this is what I do, because I can’t get rid of [Melo]: I’m going all-in on getting CP3 this summer. He’s boys with Melo, it’s not working out with the Clippers, they appear to be snake-bitten. So maybe you can get Chris Paul.”

That would mean shifting the roster of the Knicks up by clearing cap space to bring in Paul. To do so, New York would need to renounce the rights for their current duo of former All-Star guards, Brandon Jennings and Derrick Rose. However, bringing Chris Paul into the mix with his pal Carmelo is certainly an attractive option. The previously mentioned trade is a lot less likely to happen at the moment unless Melo surprisingly waives his no-trade clause.

As it stands, the Clippers (29-14) are “contenders,” so to speak, as they are fourth in the Western Conference, just a few spots behind No. 3 Houston. However, Paul recently suffered an injury which will sideline him for six to eight weeks of action. In previous seasons, expectations became high that this team would get to the NBA Finals, but their talented roster just hasn’t been able to get over the hump when it comes to teams like San Antonio and Golden State. As mentioned, the Lakers are a team who seem to have their minds made up in regard to which young talents they are building around, so Brandon Ingram probably isn’t going anywhere soon.

New York (18-24) is a team whose fanbase has plenty of pride and plenty to say when they aren’t performing up to standards. The additions of Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, and emerging young star Porzingis seemed to raise expectations a bit, but the team is still on the outside of contending for the NBA Finals. However, Carmelo has been the team’s key star, so as it stands, don’t expect any wild multi-team trade to materialize in the next few weeks unless it involves bringing some more pieces to the Knicks’ puzzle that fit better with Melo.

NBA fans, do you think Chris Paul is a good fit with Carmelo Anthony in New York, or do the suggested trade rumors above make better sense for all of the teams involved? Which of the three teams would the deal benefit most?

[Featured Image by Christian Petersen/Getty Images]