New York Knicks: Designing an ideal Carmelo Anthony trade to New Orleans Pelicans

The Untouchables

The New Orleans Pelicans have two untouchables and a third player who may as well be labeled as such. The New York Knicks have a cast of untouchables, primarily due to the fact that New Orleans can offer minimal compensation.

With Carmelo Anthony being the only player who can be rationally labeled as fully available, the Knicks will have a tough time piecing a trade together.

On New Orleans’ side, the two untouchables are big men DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis. The third could be Jrue Holiday, who was made one of the highest paid players at the point guard position roughly a month ago.

With the three biggest contracts on New Orleans’ payroll all off limits, the Knicks will have to get creative in this trade scenario.

For the Knicks, the most obvious untouchables are Willy Hernangomez, Frank Ntilikina, and Kristaps Porzingis. The list could grow, but New York won’t give up any of its three former draft picks unless a significant return is presented.

The untouchables alone could make this trade one that fails to gain any form of traction, but there may be other factors to evaluate.