New York Knicks Rumors: Carmelo Anthony Trade To Rockets Possible, John Calipari Denies Interest

Now that Phil Jackson is gone, the New York Knicks have a few decisions to make. Not only does the team need to find a new president, they have to decide what to do with Carmelo Anthony.

Jackson was adamant that he wanted to deal New York’s top star, but the forward’s no-trade clause made it almost impossible to complete a trade. The latest rumors suggest that Anthony could end up with the Houston Rockets or Cleveland Cavaliers, and Kentucky head coach John Calipari reportedly wants to be the one that makes the final decision.

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Along with the news that Anthony might decide to accept a trade elsewhere, the latest report claims that Calipari has an interest in the vacancy that Jackson’s departure created. ESPN’s Ian Begley reported Thursday that someone reached out to the Knicks on Calipari’s behalf about becoming the team’s president.

New York is not interested in Calipari at the moment, and the coach denied having any interest in the job.

“There is no one on my behalf who called the Knicks,” Calipari said on ESPN’s “Mike and Mike” Friday morning. “There might be a college coach who inquired, but it wasn't me.”

While Toronto’s Masai Ujiri and Oklahoma City’s Sam Presti are reportedly potential candidates in the eyes of the Knicks, it appears that general manager Steve Mills will be running the show as free agency begins. That means he’ll handle the responsibility of determining Anthony’s future with the team.

Anthony has seemingly gone back and forth on deciding whether he wants to leave New York and a team that has no chance to win a title anytime soon. According to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, he would consider going to a contender to play alongside one of his superstar friends.

With the Knicks trying to move on from their best player, Anthony’s best option might be to accept a buyout, which would allow him to sign with any team he chooses. The Cavaliers would reportedly be his first choice, giving him a chance to team up with LeBron James and compete for a championship.

Knicks owner James Dolan, however, doesn’t appear to want to buy out the remaining two years of Anthony’s contract. Dolan played a big role in giving Anthony his lucrative deal three years ago, and Jackson’s assertion that the Knicks should buy out Anthony reportedly was a deciding factor in his departure from the team.

Accepting a buyout wouldn’t be ideal for Anthony since he wouldn’t get all of the money that he’s owed on his contract, and he might only consider it if it meant joining the Cavs. He might waive his no-trade clause to go to Cleveland, though it doesn’t appear that New York wants anything that Cleveland is offering.

Smith reported that Anthony might accept a trade to the Rockets, who are looking to form a super-team of their own. Houston just traded for Chris Paul, and their backcourt has arguably surpassed the Golden State Warriors as the league’s best with James Harden at shooting guard.

The Rockets aren’t quite a title contender just yet. They seem to be well behind Golden State, and the San Antonio Spurs might still be the second-best team in the Western Conference. Adding another All-Star, however, could give them a legitimate chance to dethrone the defending champs.

READ: Houston Rockets Trying To Land Carmelo Anthony Or Paul George

Houston has been trying to acquire Paul George from the Indiana Pacers, but they probably don’t have the pieces to get a deal done. Trading for Anthony, who would require a much cheaper asking price, is more likely.

The biggest obstacle in a trade getting done between Houston and New York might not be Anthony. Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni had a tenuous relationship with the All-Star when he coached the Knicks, and he recently admitted that Anthony forced him out of New York in 2012.