Carmelo Anthony isn’t coming to the Cavs
Carmelo Anthony won’t be joining the Cleveland Cavaliers.
For all intents and purposes, it looks increasingly unlikely that Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks’ oft-disgruntled forward, will be on the Cleveland Cavaliers roster for the 2017-2018 season.
According to Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler, Anthony has yet to expand his list of teams he wants to be traded to and as a result the Houston Rockets remain the only team he would waive his no-trade clause for.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BY6hM1OjFOf/
Furthermore, with the Cavs seeming both unwilling and unlikely to trade Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, Jae Crowder or valuable draft picks for Anthony, there doesn’t seem to be a trade package the Cavs can put together for the 10-time All-Star that will appease his bosses in the Big Apple.
To be honest, that’s okay.
Yes, Anthony could provide a scoring punch from the forward that could be extremely useful for the Cavs while they wait for Isaiah Thomas to return his injury, when LeBron James wants to rest and against the Golden State Warriors’ stingy defenders. Despite an inglorious reputation from media, bloggers and fans, Anthony remains one of the best scorers in the game and has been one of the best players the game has ever seen.
However, due to the depth and defensive potential the Cavs have at the forward positions with James, Jae Crowder, Richard Jefferson, Jeff Green and even Cedi Osman, Anthony’s fit on the team would be questionable. Especially with Love on the team, another All-Star player who demands a large role and thrives as a spot-up shooter but has glaring holes in his defensive game.
More from Cavs News
- 3 possible starting lineups for Cleveland Cavaliers in 2023-24
- 4 players the Cavaliers should pursue in 2024 free agency
- NBA Expert says Cavaliers backcourt just won’t work
- When does NBA Training Camp start? When do Cavaliers start?
- Prominent NBA agent says LeBron had a harder path than Jordan
Now, that isn’t to say the defensive identity of the forward unit nullifies the possibility that the Cavs would need another combo forward who can be a volume scorer.
As previously mentioned, when James rests it would be nice to have another forward who could create his own shots and make the tough ones, especially against tough defenses. Crowder showed the ability to do that against the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals last season but he shouldn’t be relied on to excel in an unfamiliar role throughout the season or against playoff foes.
Still, in a vacuum, to get through the Warriors (which is what this is all about) all the Cavs needed was better defense, a better bench and one more volume scorer than they had last season. They certainly improved their defense and ability to guard Kevin Durant with the additions of Green and Crowder. At the point guard position, Rose will be an upgrade over Deron Williams on both ends and again, Crowder’s addition to the Cavs is especially important. He’s an upgrade over Derrick Williams on both ends and could vie for Sixth Man of the Year votes by having a prominent role with the Cavs.
In theory, with James, Love, Thomas and Rose the Cavs will have more volume scorers than last season. So, in theory, the Cavs should be fine. Especially if they manage to add the services of, say, Dwyane Wade.
If Anthony looks like he’ll waive his no-trade clause for the Cavs, or better yet reaches a buyout with the New York Knicks, then Cleveland will be a viable destination. However, that seems unlikely. Trading for Anthony is complicated, and as a result he’s likely to either play out the season with the Knicks, no matter how dramatic it ends up or how unhappy he is.