GREENBURGH, N.Y. _ Carmelo Anthony isn't sweating out the NBA trade deadline. He said he's relaxed and he hopes to be enjoying his pregame nap at 3:01 p.m. EST Thursday _ one minute after the deadline.
Anthony, who has a no-trade clause, said Knicks management hasn't brought him anything to sign off on. He reiterated that he doesn't expect to be anywhere else but with the Knicks when they face the Cavaliers on Thursday night.
"Yeah, as of now," Anthony said after Wednesday's practice. "I haven't heard anything. I haven't seen anything other than what's on social media. But other than that nobody has reached out to me, nobody has called me, nobody has called my team. That's why I'm not too concerned about it."
The Knick whose name is coming up more in trade rumors is Derrick Rose.
The Vertical reported that the Knicks have been aggressively shopping Rose, who will be a free agent and likely doesn't have a long-term future with the Knicks.
Minnesota reportedly is interested, which makes sense since Rose would be reunited with his former coach Tom Thibodeau. Point guard Ricky Rubio likely would be involved if the two sides reached a deal.
Rose was sitting on a bench at the end of practice while the other players were finishing off a scrimmage. It led to speculation that the Knicks were holding Rose out to keep him healthy in case they can move him. But the Knicks said he took part in all of practice before that. Rose left without speaking to reporters.
Kyle O'Quinn and Brandon Jennings are candidates to be traded as well, though Jennings said he didn't think he would be.
"I know it's a business, but I don't see myself getting moved," Jennings said.
Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said he doesn't expect anything to happen regarding trades but added the caveat unless management comes to him with something.
"I expect the same team," Hornacek said. "Until they come in and tell me that someone's been traded, we all think it's going to be the same team that we have at practice."
Whether Anthony remains a Knick past the deadline has been a topic for more than five weeks since Phil Jackson's confidant Charley Rosen wrote that "Anthony had outlived his usefulness in New York."
Anthony said he will be glad when the deadline passes so he can stop answering questions about it, but he's already in "a Melo state of mind."
"I'm relaxed," he said. "At 3:01 hopefully I'll be sleeping, taking a nap, getting ready for the game. But I'm relaxed. I've never allowed that talk to kind of interfere with what I have going on as far as playing basketball."
It's been presumed that Anthony would agree to a trade to the Cavaliers (to play with LeBron James) or the Clippers (to play with Chris Paul). The Celtics also have been linked to Anthony.
He hasn't said that he's given the Knicks a list of teams for which he would waive the no-trade clause. Anthony gave a cryptic answer when asked if management has an understanding of what he would accept.
"I think they know and understand how I feel and what I'm thinking, and I think I know what they're thinking," Anthony said. "I try to figure that out. But those guys understand and know how I'm feeling, what's on my mind, and what I would like to see happen."
Anthony has talked about his family being a priority in his decision. If nothing happens by Thursday, the Knicks could revisit trading Anthony in the offseason. Anthony wasn't ready Wednesday to talk about how he would want to be remembered as a Knick if he was traded Thursday.
"I can't think about that," Anthony said. "I can't think about that until something actually happens, then maybe I can answer that question. Maybe at 3:01 tomorrow if something happened I'll send you some answers to that question."
