According to a person with knowledge of the situation, who spoke to USA TODAY Sports on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation, the Clippers have a strong interest in adding Anthony so long as they don’t have to give up one of their Big Three of Paul, Griffin or DeAndre Jordan. Considering they have made this clear to the Knicks, the illuminating part is that the conversation didn’t die right there.
With the Knicks known to think very favorably of 24-year-old Clippers guard Austin Rivers (career-high 11.9 points per game this season), and with various combinations of trade scenarios known to include other players like veteran shooting guard J.J. Redick (who will be a free agent this summer) and super sixth man Jamal Crawford (who signed a three-year, $42 million deal last summer), it seems clear that the Knicks’ interest level in parting ways with Anthony is growing by the day.
Anthony, who is owed $26.2 million next season and can opt out of his deal two summers from now, has a no-trade clause and is known to have a very short list of teams for which he would be willing to waive it.
Yet from Anthony to James, Wade and Paul, there is a common thread that is clearly driving their words and actions at the moment. This is about Father Time, with all of them aware that he waits for no man and all of them hell-bent on winning as much as possible before he finally catches up and ends their careers.
On Wednesday night, when Paul and James had one of those long phone conversations in which they connect like few others can, they shared a version of that truth.
“He’s not (losing his mind),” Paul said of James, who has publicly pressured the Cavs to add a playmaker on several occasions while highlighting missed opportunities from their past. “I know he’s not. I talked to him for a long time last night. He’s not losing (his mind). It’s a long season.
“He’s just trying to win, too, you know what I mean? It’s all in trying to win. Think about it. People, think in the big picture – four out of seven. Do you have enough power to beat who you need to beat four out of seven times?”