Report: Knicks, Clippers discussing Melo deal that doesn't include Big 3

The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers are discussing a potential Carmelo Anthony trade that does not include L.A.'s core of Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, or Chris Paul, according to the Daily News' Frank Isola.

A report broke earlier Thursday that Knicks president Phil Jackson was "determined" to trade Anthony, and that the 32-year-old star, whose contract contains a no-trade clause, would at least consider the Clippers as a destination.

While Griffin on the surface may appear to be a logical swap candidate, the current CBA would preclude the Knicks from obtaining him while Derrick Rose still plays for New York. The reason is both are still on their Designated Rookie Max contract extensions, and the little-known rule prohibits a team from having two players on such deals acquired via trade.

Players the Knicks could get in return include Jamal Crawford, J.J. Redick, or Austin Rivers, Isola reports. The Clippers do not currently have a first-round pick this summer.

While Anthony could slide into the Clippers' three-spot and also the four in small-ball lineups, spacing could become a question in such an arrangement.