New York Knicks: Five Mutually Beneficial Carmelo Anthony Trades

2. Los Angeles Clippers

One of the most commonly speculated blockbuster trades in NBA circles revolves around Carmelo Anthony and Blake Griffin. That swap is an intriguing possibility, but there’s another proposition that seems far more likely to be accepted.

The Los Angeles Clippers wouldn’t give up a 27-year-old on the rise for a 32-year-old who may be on the decline, but it would be worth asking for DeAndre Jordan.

Making this work could be tricky considering the fact that some of Doc Rivers’ favorite players have the cheapest contracts. That includes veteran power forward Brandon Bass and intriguing rookie Brice Johnson.

New York could likely convince the Clippers to include Bass, however, if Chris Paul convinces Doc Rivers that Anthony is the right player to trade for.

For Los Angeles, an elite offensive Big Three of Anthony, Griffin, and Paul would be created, albeit to the detriment of the defense. This would increase the odds of Paul re-signing this coming summer, as he’s close friends with Anthony.

It may also increase the odds of Griffin re-signing if the Clippers manage to get out of the second round of the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

For New York, they could cut Anderson upon his acquisition and add two players who would improve the defense. Jordan is one of the best defensive centers in the NBA, while Bass is a respected veteran who gives a concerted effort on both ends.

New York would need to figure out what to do with Joakim Noah, but if the New York Knicks can get an All-NBA center who can anchor the defense and dominate the boards, it would be hard to say no.