NBA rumors: Knicks targeting Pau Gasol to pair with Carmelo Anthony

Jan 26, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots the ball as Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol (16) defends during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 110-103. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2014; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) shoots the ball as Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol (16) defends during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 110-103. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New York Knicks recently traded Tyson Chandler back to the Dallas Mavericks, and they are interested in replacing him with Pau Gasol. The plan would be to pair Gasol with Carmelo Anthony, if the team can convince him to return to the Big Apple.

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New Knicks president Phil Jackson is hoping to reunite with Gasol and it will be interesting to see if he can bring Gasol to New York to create an impressive one-two punch with Carmelo.

From ESPN.com:

"Furthermore, one source close to the process told ESPN.com’s Ramona Shelburne that Jackson is planning to make a determined attempt to try to recruit his former Los Angeles Lakers center Pau Gasol to replace the freshly traded Tyson Chandler alongside Anthony on the Knicks’ front line, despite the fact New York is limited to offering Gasol less than $4 million for next season."

It will be interesting to see if the Knicks can convince Gasol to join them for less than $4 million per year, but if anyone can do that it would be the Zen Master.

Of course, there is no guarantee that Anthony will even re-sign in New York, so pairing Gasol with Anthony could be a pipe dream for Phil Jackson.

At this point, it seems more likely that Anthony would follow Tyson Chandler to Dallas than return to the Knicks with Gasol.