Report: Blazers have 'piqued' Melo's interest as possible destination
The Portland Trail Blazers have "piqued" Carmelo Anthony's interest as a potential trade destination, sources told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Blazers teammates Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum had been trying to recruit Anthony, with McCollum saying last month that the New York Knicks veteran was interested. That remains true, according to Wojnarowski.
"Portland is an interesting team in this because C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard have done a really good job of recruiting Carmelo," Wojnarowkski told The Ryen Russillo Show. "That's a sleeper team in this to get Carmelo to waive his no-trade because I'm told they've piqued Carmelo's interest at the very least."
To go anywhere, Anthony would need to waive the aforementioned no-trade clause given to him by former Knicks president Phil Jackson in 2014. Anthony reportedly is most interested in joining the big-market Houston Rockets and close friend Chris Paul, although Portland could be an intriguing fit basketball-wise.
The Blazers would have challenges of their own however in obtaining Anthony. The team is capped out and would probably need to move inflated contracts such as those belonging to Evan Turner and Meyers Leonard in order to do so.