Trade Rumors: Knicks reached out to Cavs, Celtics, Clippers about Carmelo Anthony

Phil Jackson seems quite determined to trade Carmelo Anthony

Perhaps thinking about his best interests, the New York Knicks reportedly talked to the Cleveland Cavaliers about trading Carmelo Anthony for Kevin Love. Despite their need for a play-maker, the Cavs rebuffed the Knicks' offer and it looks like for now, Anthony is staying in New York. But that doesn't mean the Knicks are done trying to trade Anthony.

According to The Vertical, besides reaching out to the Cavs, the Knicks have also approached the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Clippers about a possible trade involving Anthony. The Vertical reports that Knicks team president Phil Jackson "is determined" to trade Anthony before February's NBA trade deadline:

Knicks president Phil Jackson is determined to find a destination and deal that Anthony would agree to accept before the Feb. 23 NBA trade deadline, league sources said.

Jackson is determined to rid the roster of Anthony and his contract, and start rebuilding around Kristaps Porzingis, league sources said.

The Clippers are a team that would interest Anthony, league sources said.

Anthony has a no-trade clause and a trade kicker, so trading him isn't that simple for Jackson. The Knicks star will have to waive his no-trade clause for a deal to be made, so that means Jackson has to find a team that Anthony will sign off on. This makes Jackson's options extremely limited but there is the idea, first put out there by the Knicks team president's friend Charley Rosen, that Anthony would be in favor of a deal to the Clippers, which is why New York and Los Angeles are talking.

Compounding all of this is the fact Anthony has repeatedly said that he has no plans to waive his no-trade clause and that he is quite happy to finish his career in New York. Anthony has softened his stance ever so slightly, implying that if the Knicks start rebuilding, he would waive his no-trade clause.

Starting a rebuild might be the path Jackson is trying to take now, especially since those flashy moves like trading for Derrick Rose and signing Joakim Noah haven't quite worked out and the Knicks don't look to be making the playoffs this season. But with his no-trade clause, Anthony has all of the power, so it is up to Jackson to engineer a deal that the Knicks star will agree to. It's a rather tough task for Jackson, who essentially put the Knicks in this position in the first place due to his unwise roster decisions.