Earlier, it was reported by ESPN’s Adam Wojnarowski that Carmelo Anthony has updated his list of teams he’d be willing to waive his no-trade clause in his current contract if that meant a deal which would transfer him to any of those franchises. That list now includes the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were reportedly crossed out by Anthony before when he knew that Kyrie Irving was dealt to the Boston Celtics for an Isaiah Thomas-led package.
However, the interest doesn’t seem to go both ways anymore, as Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today is reporting that the Cavaliers are not considering the idea of giving up a 2018 first-round pick for Anthony.
The Cavs aren’t interested in including the No. 1 pick they recently acquired from the Boston Celtics in the blockbuster Kyrie Irving trade.
That pick was bundled with Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Ante Zizic during the blockbuster Cavs-Celtics trade and the Knicks eyeing that as part of a return for Anthony ideally would help New York rebuild for the future. Cleveland opting to hold on to that pick makes sense, too. If LeBron James leaves next year, that pick could become even more valuable for the team.
It’s also worth noting that Cleveland is way above the salary cap for the coming season with $140 million on the books. Adding Anthony and his $26.2 million salary for next season to the team would require the Cavaliers dispose of some other contracts.