New York Knicks: Designing updated Carmelo Anthony trade to Cavaliers

The Untouchables

The Cleveland Cavaliers are unlikely to part ways with any of the players acquired via the Kyrie Irving trade. Jae Crowder could be dealt if need be, but he may be the only player on the roster with borderline elite value on defense.

The New York Knicks have a fair list of untouchables, as well, which makes this deal one with circumstances that must be navigated.

The most obvious untouchables for Cleveland are All-NBA honorees LeBron James and Isaiah Thomas. The list likely ends there, with Crowder being the only other player who could realistically be labeled as a player the Cavaliers are unwilling to trade.

That’s a short list, but it doesn’t necessarily make Scott Perry or Steve Mills’ job any easier to execute in this scenario.

For the Knicks, the list of untouchables has grown to Willy Hernangomez, Frank Ntilikina, and Kristaps Porzingis. New York is no longer in line to acquire a point guard to replace Ntilikina—Irving would have filled that void—and no player Cleveland would offer is worth Hernangomez or Porzingis.

Considering the Cavaliers would have interest in the costly Carmelo Anthony, it’s not as though the Knicks would be able to unload much else—a sign that a trade is still possible.