Lakers should grab Carmelo Anthony if given the chance

Phil Jackson admitted that a separation between the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony could be beneficial for both parties. The Los Angeles Lakers can help facilitate the parting and finally get some much needed star power.

Carmelo Anthony is on his way out of New York and the Los Angeles Lakers could come out winners in what has become an ongoing drama on the East Coast.

In the midst of all the events that generated the turmoil in the Knicks’ organization this season and with a renewed commitment to the triangle offense, it has become clear that his services are not requested anymore in the Big Apple.

President of basketball operations Phil Jackson has been very critical of his star forward in the recent months and he looks very prone to trade him.

At this point it is just a matter of meeting the asking price and finding a desired destination for Anthony in order to convince him to waive his no-trade clause.

There is just one problem for NY: all the criticism Jackson hurled at Carmelo has helped to lower his value as a player and might have irreparably hurt his chances to obtain a high reward in return.

In the meantime, on the other coast there is a president of basketball operations that is looking for a superstar to balance his extremely young and inexperienced team.

Since his selection as the Lakers’ top decision maker, Magic Johnson‘s primary objective has been to bring to LA an elite player to transition the team built on promising lottery picks from the Kobe Bryant era to a new era of championships and success.

The problem is how to get a superstar while not sacrificing this young core of players collected through the suffering of years of struggles and unsuccessful seasons? A player as undesired as Carmelo Anthony is right now in New York is just the thing.

Anthony is a proven veteran in the league with elite scoring skills and the ability to take over the game in the final minutes, but he is going to turn 33 and he is certainly not getting younger.

Being unwelcome in New York, along with Jackson’s comments about Anthony’s inability to be the franchise player Jackson desired, help lower his price.

The Lakers sacrificed their future flexibility committing to long-term contracts with Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov last summer and finding a taker for at least one of them will be at the top of their to-do list in the summer.

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What if Phil Jackson was so desperate to get rid of Anthony and he thought that Luol Deng was such a good fit in the triangle offense (which he is, by the way.in my opinion) to accept a deal to receive the Lakers’ 28th pick in the upcoming draft and the former Bull in exchange of his disgruntled forward?

At this point Jackson looks sold on the idea of rebuilding the team through young players and a pick in the first round of the notably deep 2017 draft would be a valuable asset. Of course Deng and his contract are not an ideal acquisition for the Knicks, but the pick would work as a wonderful trad bait.

However, the Knicks would save $9 million of salary cap space in each of the next two seasons (if we consider that Melo could opt into the final year of his contract to stay in his beloved New York) and at the same time receive a veteran that would help the team and the young players in their development without taking away the space they need to grow.

Deng is not a cumbersome personality, as a superstar is, and would prove a good role player in Tex Winter’s versatile offense.

Furthermore, although he is getting older and has lost some step, he would be an upgrade on the defensive end (an area which requires major improvement for the Knicks) over Anthony.

On Lakers’ side the acquisition would represent the first step in a change of direction that has been anticipated since the hiring of Magic Johnson.

Many would point out all the negatives Carmelo would bring with himself. He is egotistical. Not a leader. A ball-stopper. Not committed defensively. Made it just once out of the second round.

And yet if they got him to play in coach Luke Walton‘s offense, which emphasizes ball movement and the three-point shot, and with the probable coming of Lonzo Ball as the ultimate facilitator, there is a good chance for him to turn out as an effective offensive option at the 3 and 4.

At the end of the season, if he is not fond of the situation, he can opt out of his contract and go search his fortunes in a contender for a shot at the title, freeing the necessary cap space for LA to sign Paul George, who is eyeing a move to his hometown team.

If things go so well that he decides to opt in, this means that the Lakers will have to become creative to find the cap space for George’s max-contract (possibly getting rid of Mozgov) and eventually try to pair the two forwards.

Otherwise, moving Anthony on the final year of his contract for nothing should be easier than moving Deng with two remaining years on his hefty contract.

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If trading Melo essentially only for a draft pick and adding the weight of Deng sounds too much optimistic, we can consider the necessity to add Jordan Clarkson to the package.

As hard as it would be to see Clarkson walk out of LA, he is the most expendable of the young core and Jackson demonstrated to be interested in him in the past. Furthermore, surrendering Clarkson would clear additional cap space for the George signing.

Finally, the deal must also work for the 10-time All-Star, since Melo has a no-trade clause on his contract. He has to agree with the trade and waive the clause for the transaction to happen.

If he understands that the Knicks are not the place for him anymore, Los Angeles is a nice destination for a player of his caliber and would receive the treatment as the superstar he is. At the end of the year, in the case he thinks it is not the right situation for him, he can opt out and be master of his own destiny.

If Anthony and Jackson are on the rocks as much as it appears, this scenario could become more realistic than we think and I would be surprised if some rumor (whether it is true or not) does not surface in the summer.

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What do you think? Should the Lakers go after Carmelo this summer? Would he be a good rental for LA? Or could he become a long term solution? Let us know in the comments below.