5 trades Carmelo Anthony will never agree to

4. Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks are currently a middle-of-the-road playoff team. They’re good, but not good enough to truly compete with the likes of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors. All of this can possibly change if they decide to pursue a trade for Carmelo Anthony, but it can also put them in the same situation that they currently sit in.

One trade that works out in terms of legality is Paul Millsap for Melo straight up. Both players have been involved in multiple trade rumors this season so perhaps this swap makes sense. Atlanta can also throw in another player like Thabo Sefolosha to sweeten the deal.

By acquiring Anthony, the Hawks improve their offensive capability, but will suffer from a defensive downgrade. A starting lineup of Dennis Schroder, Tim Hardaway Jr., Kent Bazemore, Melo and Dwight Howard is one that can still be competitive in the playoffs. Millsap has a player option and so the Hawks risk losing him for nothing.

As for the Knicks, acquiring Millsap is a defensive upgrade. Additionally, Millsap won’t be a black hole of offense in the same way that Carmelo is. The Knicks are looking for their team dynamic to incorporate more ball sharing rather than isolation play. New York also receives another defensive upgrade with Sefolosha, but he’s more of a short term solution.

At the end of the day, the ultimate decision comes down to what Carmelo thinks and this isn’t the situation for him. He has been to the playoffs more than enough times in his career and it’s all about winning a championship for him. Playing for Atlanta, even if they found a way to keep Millsap, is probably not a championship contender. But they may be a lot closer than the Knicks are likely to be in the next year or two.