Carmelo Anthony is "not going anywhere"

I have a question. I don't know the answer to the question. Here's the question: Would Phil Jackson and Steve Mills initiate discussions of a Carmelo Anthony trade? Would they make calls? Would they return calls?

On one hand, it would be politically very dicey to work toward a Melo trade before talking to him, because you have to talk to him at some point. He could sandbag negotiations by being whiny or choosy about his destination. He could give a flat-out no, which would make for a suuuuper weird relationship. On the other hand ... I dunno, maybe Phil and company are willing to make things irrevocably awkward if it permits a full rebuild.

My guess is they're not that crazy. Signing a huge free agent with a no-trade clause, then shopping him without it being his idea seems waaaaay too thorny to attempt.

I ask this question because I don't think anything in yesterday's Frank Isola article, which dangles big names to distract you from the fact that it reports very little actual intel, suggests the Knicks have taken any step down that road. If New York is actually engaged in meaningful conversation with Boston and Cleveland, Isola hasn't said so, even today. Until that happens -- until the front office takes the political risk of breaking that seal, and of broaching the subject with their star -- exactly one thing matters, and that's what Melo wants. And here's what Melo says:

"There's always some trade s--- going [on]," Anthony said Saturday during an interview on Sirius XM NBA Radio. "I'm not going anywhere."

Now, in the interview that comes from, Melo goes on to hint that nothing is forever and if the Knicks don't progress his mood could change, but his message going into this week's deadline is unmistakable.

I think we can categorically ignore this round of Carmelo Anthony rumors.