With the 2015-16 NBA Trade Deadline quickly approaching, the New York Knicks find themselves in an interesting situation. The team currently holds the ninth seed in the Eastern Conference, sitting three games below .500. With the team’s most notable star Carmelo Anthony now at 31 years old and the team still a few years away from a possible title contention, the Knicks should trade their starting small forward given his play this season.
Although his scoring is down, this might just be the perfect time for New York to sell high on Anthony. He has finally shown the willingness to pass more and isolate at the elbows less, and his statistics reflect the recent change in his game. He has posted a usage percentage that is nearly his lowest mark ever, and his assist percentage of 21.8 percent is a career-high.
Of course, New York would want a centerpiece in return for Anthony. Because of this, the Knicks should phone Doc Rivers and the Los Angeles Clippers to express interest in Blake Griffin. Over the past week, Griffin’s name has consumed the media due to an incident involving an equipment manager.
If the Clippers are considering ridding themselves of Griffin, the Knicks would be the perfect trade partner. With Los Angeles currently sitting in the fourth spot in the Western Conference and 16 games above .500, Rivers would certainly demand a player who could help the team win now in return for Griffin.
Chris Paul is now at 30 years old, and with several disappointing team performances over the the past few years, there are legitimate concerns over how much longer the Clippers will stay intact. A trade for Anthony could provide the surge the Clippers need, especially given his fit in Los Angeles.
Pairing Anthony next to DeAndre Jordan in a frontcourt would be a match made in heaven. Anthony has played the best basketball in his career when playing a stretch four type of position on the perimeter, while Jordan would be able to inhabit the lower block as he awaits potential lob passes from his teammates. Anthony has moved back to playing a more minutes at small forward this year with the rise of Kristaps Porzingis, but it is clear that he thrives when playing most of his minutes at the power forward position.
Not only would Anthony find himself playing the majority of his minutes where he is most comfortable, but he would be paired with the best point guard he has played with over the last several years. Because Anthony has had to take on the role of a playmaker during his time in New York, his shooting numbers have been affected due to his willingness to take a large number of difficult shots on a consistent basis.
Playing alongside Paul, however, Anthony would find himself the most open he has ever been. Currently, Paul makes Griffin look like he is Dirk Nowitzki in pick-and-pop situations, and one can only imagine what would happen with Anthony in that role.
Ultimately, Anthony’s skillset would be more suited to play in Griffin’s role than Griffin is at this stage of his career. Being one of the best shooters in the league, Anthony’s presence would create more space for the Clippers as a whole. Additionally, Anthony’s best pairing on defense would be alongside a notable rim protector at center, and Los Angeles certainly presents him that opportunity with Jordan.
For New York, this trade makes total sense. The Knicks would receive a budding star who is only 26 years of age. He fits the prototypical triangle power forward, possessing great passing ability along with the skills to hit an open mid-range jumper. New York would be able to build around a frontcourt of Griffin and Porzingis, a potentially dominant duo.
The Clippers, meanwhile, may elect to grab a player like Anthony given Griffin’s injury concerns. There is always the possibility that Griffin takes some time to reach his superstar-caliber play after he returns, something Los Angeles may not have time for this season. In this way, an Anthony-for-Griffin swap makes perfect sense for both sides as the deadline nears.
