Wojnarowski: Trail Blazers Want Carmelo Anthony To Waive No-Trade Clause For Portland

[Gil]

One of the teams that New York and Houston had hoped would facilitate a multi-team trade for Anthony - the Portland Trail Blazers - only plans to participate in a deal for Anthony if he decides to expand his no-trade clause to include the Trail Blazers, league sources told ESPN.

Outside of Golden State, Portland believes that the addition of a player like Anthony would furnish them with the comparable talent and depth to the top Western Conference contenders, league sources said. Because of that, the Blazers have little, if any, inclination to facilitate an Anthony deal that would land him with a Western Conference rival like Houston, league sources said.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/20075037/carmelo-anthony-counting-new-york-knicks-trading-houston-rockets

[Alienware]

I guess I could see why they'd shed some future money for him, but I don't agree with the supposed thinking of the management, that he would make them compete with the Spurs or Rockets of the Western.

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[Joel Embust]

Lillard-McCollum-Anthony-Vonleh-Nurkic

Offensive powerhouse, inside/outside scoring, interior defense and rebounding.

[bon]

Lillard, CJ, and Melo would be the worst defensive trio in the league

[LofJ]

A lot of teams would trade for Melo if he'd waive his NTC for them. I think the Pelicans, Wizards, and Hornets would all be interested.

[TTP]

I don't understand Portland's motivation for this. I'm not sure it would make them much better (if at all). Their perimeter defense would be atrocious and it just takes the ball out of their two stars' hands.

[SamSepiol]

No banana boat in Portland, still think it's Houston or stay in NY for him.
Winning championships is the last thing on his mind. He wanna play with his buddy Cp3 until Cp3 tells him what the next step in the plan is for team full banana boat.

[bigpimpatl]

I don't understand Portland's motivation for this. I'm not sure it would make them much better (if at all). Their perimeter defense would be atrocious and it just takes the ball out of their two stars' hands.

They would increase their talent level while shedding salary. Melo is going to opt out so if it doesn't work and if all they lost is Harkless+Davis or even Crabbe I don't think they'll be too sad. they can spend that money on Nurkic.

[InfinityZero]

Lillard, CJ, and Melo would be the worst defensive trio in the league

Lonzo Ball - Brandon Ingram - Julius Randle - Brooke Lopez

[Effigy]

I doubt Melo will do it, but I like this. Try to get Melo at his lowest value, and don't help the Rockets get better.

[hookshot199]

It doesn't work for the Knicks. Portland will want to include Crabbe or ET in the deal. For me, that would be a deal-breaker.

Of course they can make the numbers work - assuming Carmelo wants to go to a team that won't be a contender with or without him excluding Crabbe or ET.

Harkless, Napier, Ed Davis and Vonleh's combined salary is $22 mil. It works in the trade checker subbing Noah, Porzingis and O'Quinn for Carmelo. Combined salary: $26.4 mil.

I think a more realistic option for Portland is to try to move both Crabbe and ET's contracts as part of a two-step, three-way deal with Houston. Actually, two trades: one with the Knicks and Houston and a second with Houston.

The first: Anderson to Portland, Onaku, Taylor and Crabbe to NY, Carmelo to Houston.

Part Two, which can't go down until Dec. 15: Ariza, Nene, Uthoff, Olivier and Long for ET.

Throw in whatever future picks are needed to make it fair.

I just don't see Carmelo agreeing to go to the Blazers. And I don't think it's fair for the Knicks to take on two of the league's worst contracts. The Blazers, if they were to pursue this approach, would reduce their bad contracts to one and fill a need. Ryan Anderson may be overpaid, but would give them a starter and shooter at four.

The drawback is it can't be done until mid-December.

[Goudelock]

Lillard, CJ, and Melo would be the worst defensive trio in the league

Lonzo Ball - Brandon Ingram - Julius Randle - Brooke Lopez

Randle and Ingram are pretty decent at defense. They can guard multiple positions and do a good job of staying in front of their man (just don't ask Randle to protect the rim).

Lonzo is going to suck on-ball but seems to have a knack for playing the passing lanes, and I don't know how good or bad Lopez is on defense.

[HotTubMike]

Yea, this is laughable. He isn't waiving his no trade to go to a middling Portland team and if you think Anderson is a bad contract take a look at the contracts Portland would have to move to make this work.

It all starts and ends with asking Melo to go there - he says no.

[bulliedog8]

Lillard, CJ, and Melo would be the worst defensive trio in the league

Lonzo Ball - Brandon Ingram - Julius Randle - Brooke Lopez

Randle and Ingram are pretty decent at defense. They can guard multiple positions and do a good job of staying in front of their man (just don't ask Randle to protect the rim).

Lonzo is going to suck on-ball but seems to have a knack for playing the passing lanes, and I don't know how good or bad Lopez is on defense.

Randle is a horrible defender. Ingram has potential to be a good defender because of length but wasnt good. Literally no one was good on d on the lakers last year. They were the worst defensive team in the league. Nwaba was good on D (tragic on O outside of the paint) but he is gone now.

[inquisitive]

Blazers FO would rather have 2 yrs left of Melo's contract than 3 yrs left of Crabbe, Turner, Harkless, or Leonard. I don't blame them. Just trying to get rid of some contracts off their book.They just wanna move one or two of those guys . Melo's expiring deal after this season shouldn't be too difficult to move if they choose to do so. Plus GMs are always gonna have big eyes when a 'star' is on the trade market. The curiosity of if he will fit or not will always be there.

The problem is that Melo doesn't want to play there.

[MaceCase]

Lillard-McCollum-Anthony-Vonleh-Nurkic

Offensive powerhouse, inside/outside scoring, interior defense and rebounding.

Dame-CJ-Harkless-Melo-Nurkic is the better suited lineup for today's NBA. Gotta mix in some perimeter D and positional versatility.

[The_Hater]

Lillard, CJ, and Melo would be the worst defensive trio in the league

Lonzo Ball - Brandon Ingram - Julius Randle - Brooke Lopez

Both are bad units defensively but the Lakers have KCP on the perimeter while Lillard and McCollum are the worst defensive backcourt in the league and adding Melo to SF would be downright laughable. Melo absolutley needs to play PF going forward anyways.

[nedleeds]

I'm sure the Pelicans would want him for Asik, Ajinca and a bowl of gumbo. All this clickbait is a waste because Melo has a NTC.

[hookshot199]

Blazers FO would rather have 2 yrs left of Melo's contract than 3 yrs left of Crabbe, Turner, Harkless, or Leonard. I don't blame them. Just trying to get rid of some contracts off their book.They just wanna move one or two of those guys . Melo's expiring deal after this season shouldn't be too difficult to move if they choose to do so. Plus GMs are always gonna have big eyes when a 'star' is on the trade market. The curiosity of if he will fit or not will always be there.

The problem is that Melo doesn't want to play there.

Who wouldn't? Check the trade I patched together. I normally don't do that but I believe Portland wants to unload bad contracts. Carmelo won't make them appreciably better. Houston probably can make a run for it with Carmelo and if Golden State has an injury. And the Knicks are screwed no matter what they do. Crabbe makes $8 mil less than Carmelo. Thus the Blazers probably should throw in a protected pick. Perhaps Houston as well.

[Sign5]

I'm shocked Portland actually thinks Melo would waive his clause to go from NY to Portland considering they wouldnt be clear contenders with him.