NBA Trade Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Not Going To The Cavs

In the latest Cavs news today, the NBA trade rumor mill continues with Carmelo Anthony and the Cavaliers. However, unlike most NBA trade rumors that center around the possibility of a deal happening, according to CBS Sports, it has been confirmed that the Cleveland Cavaliers have no interest in the aging New York Knicks star.

That said, even if the defending champions aren’t interested in adding Carmelo Anthony to their roster, they are certainly open to pulling the trigger on a potential trade before the February 23 NBA trade deadline. In a recent article, Cleveland General Manager David Griffin addressed the needs of the team moving forward, saying that they would be open to adding another playmaker to their squad before they gear up for this year’s playoffs, and, ultimately, the pursuit of another title.

At the time of this writing, it seems unlikely that Cleveland will move Kevin Love, with the caveat that, if the Cavaliers were to move him, what they would get in return would have to make the team better as a whole. One scenario that might lead the Cavaliers to let Kevin Love go would be if they could get a handful of talented, young role players to play behind both Kyrie Irving and LeBron James.

As much as Cleveland fans (and at times, maybe even LeBron himself) like to think that LeBron James is superhuman, the fact remains that the King is getting up there in age, and, as that’s the case, he won’t be able to log as many minutes in the coming years as he has done in the past. If the Cavaliers can get a few players to take some of the stress off of LeBron James and allow him to rest, it would benefit not only LeBron James, but Cleveland as a whole.

Still, while current reports seem to suggest that the Cavaliers are not interested in pursuing Carmelo Anthony, and Kevin Love is a safe bet to stay in a Cleveland uniform, the fact remains that in the NBA, no one is untouchable, and anyone can be moved at any time. NBA trade rumors are only going to heat up as the February 23 NBA trade deadline gets closer, and stranger things have happened.

Hypothetically speaking, though, say the Cleveland Cavaliers did a straight swap with the New York Knicks of Kevin Love for Carmelo Anthony, the Cleveland Cavaliers would still end up with the shorter end of the stick. Truth be told, Kevin Love is having his best year in a Cleveland Cavaliers uniform, averaging a double-double of 19.9 points and 11.0 rebounds per contest. The first few years of Kevin Love’s tenure in Cleveland were rough, and, at times he visibly struggled to find his groove and gel with the team. This year, his numbers are up considerably, and he has shown flashes of the dominant player he was in Minnesota.

The Cavaliers would be better suited not pursuing a deal for Carmelo Anthony in the long run. While Carmelo Anthony is still effective, averaging 23.0 points, 2.9 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per contest, at 32 years old, Carmelo Anthony does not have youth on his side, as he is quickly approaching the wrong side of his 30s. While the Cleveland Cavaliers may be tempted to bring in Carmelo Anthony as a response to the Golden State Warriors acquiring the services of Kevin Durant, ultimately, the Cavaliers won a ring with Kevin Love last year, and, unless they absolutely believe they can get a better deal for the sharpshooting big man before the trade deadline comes and goes, the Cavaliers should stick to what has made them successful — and Kevin Love is a proven part of that championship formula.

https://www.facebook.com/bleacherreport/photos/basw.Abou71oDhpas63y6M4QAJ_JkcRdoqhwyVRbWd3xgfJUnUYJ4SXyGu3TO_X2dnH2pQoRwxpZt9a89Wys-89ScKGvb4ZXmB70TVixQryGMxDKgPDR3hRJ38gLZbZA45uxA6asrvukKtlLzbBgF20MPJtxQ.1212879462100582.10154749554491006.10158284273580294.948534378535093.10153914552308278.967282173326980/10154749554491006/?type=1&opaqueCursor=AbrqavaQMCkm6suvoocBCDW7N5tWz9Qk4CawzXYY6KY4UHTjZSPdbFIso8xYM6QuJiOhqQMgIB99pxXR7qqiuUOaXuY359haoIYYDNQ56hCKo32Fz6B_c0X_zurpqp-oiyPcgiI3AfS3f2Fw8eA5OgCkxHoqls354bUQjD2pyPjGJXAZVa2eaSP7c1dmgmLMZbITmfbAr3BbFlucVs_JkESQNi1wj9kQxclrjZfHs4NMUiRNA2lg1y638uoKYlCYNClUCDYmXESEyO4U7jsa8ebUs87DMsL-37-Vgd2THxeZWOiBX58td0kOFumZjU1DrLNpD1gKUkoQ4UzmXQ28-Wb16oPQttWpMQz0UcvjHmj1dkH5LIyJDTVSydM-tD0BTqjlP7dOQd82abY8r9QGBslSn-5GK_6IY6pE5Rd13-TltKpBX3X9dYzgaDOqqrM44sweNuVdFcrA7gLIHbzgwuRly3A6Rt5UspDQVVbHLUfM88U9COAl6YiFojUji21ZiquFzHYTKHmLtvQR8qN64Kcr1jhG83fDNfkWt_xElXPlK4xN2JU-ddPLrFxXFpw6A5b-SfHQo2ZOaOfGGxuC7Uf-omWDyLTgya7qumHTKGxfgFL9l_zdVWzfb8zzKhj2g-260S0gm9O-B1lsvHwhvYjDte9aWtBELp5wDdoK4KMscQa5Ea73JGWDeU7lR0JgY-k&theater

[Featured Image by Al Bello/Getty Images]