GET ME OUTTA HERE!
Melo expands trade list to include Cavs, Thunder
The Knicks believed Carmelo Anthony would expand the list of teams he wanted to be traded to, and with the season fast approaching, he has. On Friday, Anthony named the Cavaliers and Thunder as teams he would be willing to waive his no-trade clause for.
Knicks officials have been optimistic all along that Carmelo Anthony eventually would expand his wish list beyond the Rockets. And now he has.
A source confirmed an ESPN report that Anthony has added the Cavaliers and Thunder in hopes of the Knicks finding a deal for him before the Oct. 19 season opener. According to ESPN, the Knicks contacted the Cavaliers on Monday, but no names were discussed. The Post previously reported the Thunder had expressed interest.
The source told The Post that Anthony is heavily considering putting the Trail Blazers on his list as well.
Following the blockbuster trade of Kyrie Irving to the Celtics for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and draft picks, The Post reported the Knicks viewed Cleveland as having more assets to make a deal after the addition of coveted small forward Crowder, a stout defender. But under league rules, Crowder can’t be traded until Oct. 22 — 60 days after the trade that sent him to Cleveland. New Knicks president Steve Mills covets Crowder. The Cavaliers, in the Irving deal, also obtained first-round and second-round picks they can package.
The Knicks also may be interested in bringing back Iman Shumpert, their 2011 first-round pick, who was shuttled out by since-ousted president Phil Jackson. They already retained this summer another of their first-rounders Jackson had given up, Tim Hardaway Jr.
Anthony finally appears to realize the Knicks won’t be able to work out a deal with the Rockets and never really were close on a package, despite his reps lobbying for him to play alongside Chris Paul and James Harden.
The Cavaliers and Knicks talked over the winter about an Anthony deal, but the Knicks wanted Kevin Love and Cleveland was uninterested. LeBron James has wanted Anthony by his side since the start of his second stint in Cleveland, but Anthony was a free agent and it didn’t work logistically. Instead, the Cavs traded for Love, giving up their No. 1 pick, Andrew Wiggins.
Anthony is hoping for a deal before the regular season begins.
For now, the broken marriage limps on. While Knicks general manager Scott Perry said the club is keeping an “open mind” on Anthony’s future, team officials stated he will be at Monday’s training camp. Coach Jeff Hornacek said he’d be “crazy not to start him.”
Sources have told The Post neither Anthony nor the Knicks want each other, but the inevitable divorce has to be postponed for now. Perry revealed he traveled to Florida to meet with him in late July and thinks he’ll be a positive influence on the young core.
The remarks contradict recent blog posts by Mills and Perry, in which Anthony’s name was not mentioned.
“Look, Carmelo’s going to be back here,’’ Perry said in a press conference to ring in Monday’s start of camp. “Carmelo has always been a professional. That’s one thing I’ve always respected about him. I think he can set a good example for the young players. He’s been a 10time All-Star. If he’s back here with the New York Knicks, we expect him to be the professional he’s always exemplified throughout his career and move forward with him.”
However, Perry admitted nothing is set in stone.
“I think in our position, you always keep an open mind,’’ Perry said. “Part of my job is to help this team get better in any way that we can. So we’re going to continue to do that on a daily basis, whether it’s entertaining calls or obviously internal development is going to be important for us. I really can’t comment any further on it other than my job is to help this team get better in any way that we can, in any of the means that are available to us.”