Carmelo Anthony is Reportedly Still Unwilling to Waive No-Trade Clause

Carmelo Anthony is reportedly still committed to staying with the New York Knicks.

Adam Hunger
USA Today Sports

Image via USA Today Sports

Adam Hunger

Carmelo Anthony has a reputation among NBA fans: he’s chosen money over championships. Say what you will about LeBron James joining super-teams, but he has chosen the pursuit of championships over maximizing his contract income.

It appears Melo is continuing to stick with that philosophy. You might think he’d have changed his mind by now, considering he’s going on 33, probably doesn’t have many more years left in the tank, has had some disagreements with Phil Jackson this year, and is currently wallowing with the underachieving, 18-22 Knicks.

Think again. Per a report from Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, Melo doesn’t intend on waiving his no-trade clause, even if it means potentially joining a contender.

“Carmelo Anthony is due for a new round of trade rumors, but like previous years where Anthony trade ideas were kicked around, he controls his future with his no-trade clause,” Kyler reports. “A source close to Anthony says he’s unwilling to green-light a trade out of New York, even with how bad it’s turned.”

Anthony is currently on a five-year, $124 million deal, and he probably has no interest in playing second banana with another team. He’s signed through 2019.

Though his production has wavered the past two years—he’s putting up 22.1 points per game and shooting 43 percent from the field this year—and Kristaps Porzingis continues to emerge, Anthony is still the Knicks’ go-to guy in key moments.

People had high hopes for New York entering this year. Derrick Rose even called the Knicks a super-team.

But, with New York sitting at 10th in the weak Eastern Conference, it certainly doesn’t look like the Knicks could pose a threat to Cleveland—or Toronto or Boston, for that matter. And it seems Melo plans on riding it out.

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