New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony would waive his no-trade clause if the front office made a deal with the Boston Celtics, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. It does not, however, sound as if a trade is imminent. The Celtics have the second-best record in the Eastern Conference, and the front office isn't necessarily convinced that Anthony would put them on another level.

From the Boston Globe:

While Celtics management told the Knicks they aren't interested in the nine-time All-Star, the Knicks are pushing to move Anthony, according to an NBA source, and they're intrigued by some of the Celtics' players.

A source indicated that Knicks president Phil Jackson has instructed management to move Anthony, who has a no-trade clause but included the Celtics as one of the teams for whom he'd waive the clause. Boston could become part of a potential three-team deal that would send Anthony to another club, perhaps the Clippers.

An NBA source said Celtics coach Brad Stevens would embrace coaching Anthony, but president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has rejected any deal. That hasn't stopped the Knicks from scouting Celtics players just in case Boston is willing to become part of a trade.

Anthony has made it clear that he would prefer to stay with the Knicks, but if management decides it's time to rebuild, then he would be willing to talk with them about waiving his no-trade clause. New York is reportedly determined to send him elsewhere, and is presumably trying to construct a trade that would put him in a position to compete for a championship. Playing with Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford in Boston would surely appeal to him.

If Ainge indeed isn't interested, though, it's not exactly stunning. Anthony remains an excellent scorer, but offense isn't the Celtics' issue. Defense and rebounding are where they need to get better, and it's not clear that Anthony and Thomas would make each other better. Perhaps Boston will get involved in an Anthony trade somehow, but it seems like it would more likely be as a facilitator than the star forward's destination. Unless, of course, the Knicks are willing to let him go for pennies on the dollar. Ainge, who traded for Thomas when he was on one of the most team-friendly contracts in the league, knows a bargain when he sees one.