The NY Knicks and Houston Rockets could trade Carmelo Anthony for James Harden this offseason as the Rockets prepare a situation to sign both LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony to make a Big 3 with Dwight Howard and to get that deal done, New York would have to do a sign and trade with Melo and Phil Jackson could consider that deal.
Trading James Harden to the Knicks for the ability to sign Melo and James would be right in the wheelhouse for Daryl Morey, as he is always thinking ahead and makes outside the box moves. Morey jumped in and picked up Harden when the Thunder started shopping him and now he could flip that deal into James and Anthony. According to ESPN.com, the Rockets are one of many teams trying to sign both players and that includes the Hawks, Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls.
The Knicks traded Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to open up some cap space and that could enable the team to sign back Melo. According to ESPN.com writer Chris Broussard, the Harden-Melo deal could be an option if the Rockets want to try and sign both players and Anthony is meeting with the Rockets, Mavericks and Bulls this week as he decides his future. The Knicks can give him the highest contract and longest deal, but right now he may be looking to win and the Rockets are one place that appears ready for it and the Knicks could be open to a sign and trade if they get Harden.
The Rockets have been looking at making big moves this offseason and this could be the start of that, as the team is prepared to trade Omer Asik and Jeremy Lin to clear cap space. Coming into the offseason the team was rumored to be in on the Kevin Love trade as well as deals for LeBron and Melo and now they look like they are focusing on the two in free agency instead of Love. The Rockets want to make at least one major move this offseason, as they feel they have the chance to make a run to the championship if they get Melo, James, Love or the first two together.
The team also has to figure out what to do with Chandler Parsons, as they do not want to lose him in free agency but may not have a choice. Parsons has a cheap player option that the team can pick up and that makes him a free agent next summer, while they could decline it to make him a restricted free agent. Losing Parsons could hurt, but the team may not have a choices if another team gives him a deal they can't match and right now Yahoo Sports reports the team will decline the option.
The Rockets made it into the playoffs as a top half team in the west, but they lost against the Portland Trail Blazers despite having home court advantage. The Rockets are one of the best offensive teams in the league and they feel that adding Melo could help put them over the top in the west and they see an opening for James as well.
