New York Knicks: Five Mutually Beneficial Carmelo Anthony Trades

5. Miami Heat

The Miami Heat are 13-30, but this trade could work out long-term for both Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks. It would give New York long-term building blocks and cap space, and Miami the type of player whom Pat Riley can work with to build something special.

It’s No. 5 on this list due to the fact that Anthony is unlikely to accept a trade to a 13-30 team, but it makes the list due to the long-term upside and appeal of playing in Miami.

Anthony would join a Heat team that would still have rising star Hassan Whiteside at center. It would also have the intriguing combination of Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson at shooting guard, who are two solid building blocks.

Whiteside is averaging 17.3 points, 14.2 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game in 2016-17, which offers Anthony immediate reason to make the move to Miami.

The Heat also have the ultimate Big Three builder in Pat Riley and what projects to be intriguing cap space if Miami waives Chris Bosh and pays him via the stretch provision.

Back in New York, the Knicks would get Goran Dragic, who made the All-NBA Third Team while playing for Jeff Hornacek in Phoenix. New York would also land small forward Justise Winslow, who’s 20 years of age and better fits the Knicks’ timeline.

Phil Jackson would likely ask for a draft pick to get this deal done, and it stands to reason that he could succeed in getting one.

This trade is highly unlikely, but it’s a testament to how few options combine a need for a player of Anthony’s skill set and an appealing market.