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NBA Rumor: Did the New York Knicks nix a trade for Lamarcus Aldridge?

By Trisity Miller

Feb 5, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Portland Trailblazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) controls the ball against New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the fourth quarter of a game at Madison Square Garden. The Trailblazers defeated the Knicks 94-90. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 5, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Portland Trailblazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) controls the ball against New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the fourth quarter of a game at Madison Square Garden. The Trailblazers defeated the Knicks 94-90. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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If New York Knicks fans needed another reason to hate James Dolan (at this point they have ample, but what’s adding fuel to the fire), here’s a tidbit from a recent Stephen A. Smith article regarding Portland Trail Blazers forward Lamarcus Aldridge:

"Performing his due diligence, Anthony is paying attention to everything. Just as he has become more and more educated about what the Bulls, Lakers, Rockets, Clippers and others might have to offer as a future destination, he’s also paying attention to what the Knicks have to offer.Melo knows the Knicks had a chance at LaMarcus Aldridge and blew it. He knows they snubbed a trade that would’ve brought Rajon Rondo to New York or Kyle Lowry in a separate deal. All season, he sat around, played hard and averaged 27 points per game, while the Knicks stood idly by and did nothing — primarily because Dolan wouldn’t allow them to, telling the team in multiple meetings that the players weren’t going anywhere.via Prez Phil, get Mark Jackson on Line 1! | ESPN"

What Stephen A. Smith doesn’t do is include the pieces that would have netted Lamarcus Aldridge, so it’s hard to think of a trade that would have landed him in New York. Iman Shumpert remained on the trading block throughout the season and rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. would’ve likely been thrown into the conversation, but anyone outside of that, not including Carmelo Anthony, doesn’t make sense when looking at a possible trade from the Blazers perspective.

One thing that remains a constant is Dolan’s ineptness at running the Knicks. This isn’t Dolan’s first time stepping into personnel matters and it likely won’t be the last despite Phil Jackson making a stay in the front office. IF a trade for Aldridge was possible, him ruining is just another sign of why few call him one of the worst at his respective position in the NBA. Surely enough Aldridge and Melo creates an overlap at the small forward position, but he’d create an alternative for the future if Melo chose to opt out the following offseason.

The future of the Knicks is unclear at the moment. Carmelo isn’t guaranteed to return. The coaching search isn’t going as expected. James Dolan still has a huge hand in Knicks operation. All hope is in the hands of Phil Jackson at the moment and hopefully, during his tenure, he doesn’t nix trades that’d benefit the future of the franchise.