NBA Trade Rumors: Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony and the Phoenix Suns?
By John Buhler
Kyrie Irving wants out of Cleveland. Carmelo Anthony wants out of New York. Could a third team like the Phoenix Suns be in the mix for a three-team trade?
The NBA world is in disarray after Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving reportedly requested a trade out of town. Irving has been with the Cavaliers since being their No. 1 overall pick out of Duke in the 2011 NBA Draft. He has been a four-time NBA All-Star, an All-NBA player in 2015 and an NBA Champion in 2016.
ESPN’s Chris Haynes reported that four teams Irving would like to go to include the Miami Heat, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. Irving is from the Tri-State area and could be swapped for Knicks’ All-Star small forward Carmelo Anthony, who has grown frustrated in New York.
While Irving for Anthony probably isn’t enough to pull off the blockbuster trade, Yahoo Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports that the Phoenix Suns might be a third team that could make this deal possible. Schultz thinks Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe, Suns center Tyson Chandler and Knicks rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina could be in the deal. Maybe wing T.J. Warren gets included, too?
Source: #Knicks and #Cavs in serious talks centered around Carmelo Anthony and Kyrie Irving+possible 3rd team (maybe #Suns). https://t.co/wb5uB85SUZ
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 21, 2017
Source: #Cavs trying to work #Suns into a deal. Bledsoe and Chandler would be part of it. Suns want Frank Ntilikina and other picks. https://t.co/KhVPdHCGDJ
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 21, 2017
Potential for TJ Warren to be included too in this deal, source says https://t.co/H4yr7UQ1g1
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) July 21, 2017
While Irving and Anthony are obviously talented players, what exactly would the Suns add to the equation besides money to even out the trade? Bledsoe and Chandler haven’t been great NBA players in years.
While Warren is the most interesting trade asset the Suns have in these trade rumors, it’s interesting to see the Knicks already considering parting ways with Ntilikina, the ninth overall pick in this year’s draft. This probably has a lot to do with the Knicks originally drafting him to run the Triangle for former team president Phil Jackson.
Next: 5 trade destinations for Kyrie Irving
Now that Jackson is no longer with the Knicks organization and Scott Perry is the new general manager, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Ntilikina be dealt before ever playing a regular season game for the Knicks, assuming he is part of a blockbuster trade like this one.