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Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony finds joy in All-Star festivities despite trade rumors

Jeff Zillgitt
USA TODAY Sports
Eastern Conference forward Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks (7) talks with a fan during the NBA All-Star Practice at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

NEW ORLEANS – For weeks, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony had looked forward to time off during All-Star weekend. Not voted a starter by the fans or a reserve by the coaches, he joked he had his bags packed even though he didn’t know where he was going.

He decided on a Caribbean vacation. Then Kevin Love needed knee surgery. Then NBA commissioner Adam Silver called with an invitation to join the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

Even though flights and hotels were booked – some of it non-refundable – Anthony is in New Orleans, an All-Star for the 10th time.

He called it a downer not being able to spend time away from the game for almost a week but added he’s still excited about another All-Star appearance.

“Once you get here, being around the guys and all the festivities, you start having fun and start realizing what a big deal it is to be a part of it,” he said.

“Once I talked to the family, everybody kind of understood and told me to make sure I come down here and enjoy the moment. Once you go through so many years, you still have to find the joy of coming down here and participating. Over the past couple of days, I've done that.”

But another All-Star appearance means another litany of questions about his future. Will he waive his no-trade clause? Will he still be a member of the Knicks (23-34, 12th place in the East) after Thursday’s trade deadline?

“I did not come here to talk about no-trade talk,” Anthony said.

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Anthony could say he’s not waiving his no-trade clause, and that would be the end of that. But he hasn’t said that bluntly. He’s left open the possibility of a trade while also indicating he plans on being a Knick after Thursday.

He is trying to figure out what’s best for him professionally and personally. He likes living in New York and playing for the Knicks. His wife has job opportunities in the city, and his son is happy at school.

“Something I have a problem thinking about it,” Anthony said. “To say I don’t think about it, I’d be wrong. I’d be lying to you. I think about it. Think about it a lot. I think about what’s best for me, what’s best for the organization and what’s out there. I think about that stuff.’”

Knicks president Phil Jackson has not been Anthony’s advocate this season, calling him a ball stopper and metaphorically twisting his arm to waive the no-trade clause. Jackson took an apparent shot at Anthony in a tweet, too, saying he learned a long time ago that you can’t change a spot on a leopard.

Anthony has told Jackson he wants to remain a Knick, but that hasn’t stopped trade talk.

The Cavaliers had minimal interest in acquiring Anthony and would’ve listened only to a Godfather proposal – an offer the Cavs couldn’t refuse.

The Los Angeles Clippers have been mentioned as a trade partner, and if two sides found common ground, the idea of playing with another good friend, Clippers point guard Chris Paul, could appeal to Anthony.

Asked if a different uniform could invigorate him, Anthony said, “That's like a setup question right there. I don't know. It's kind of hard at this point. I'll have some time after the break to worry about that.”

It seems Jackson’s December comments about holding the ball too long have invigorated him. Since Jan. 1, Anthony is averaging 25.3 points, six rebounds, 3.1 assists and shooting 46.8% from the field and 42.6% on three-pointers. He can still score, and with more talent around him, he can be more efficient, too.

Popular and well-liked among his peers, current and former NBA players have supported Anthony.

“It's good to see the support from my peers despite everything I have been having to deal with,” Anthony said. “When you have your peers who understand it – they're the ones who are actually going through similar situations and can relate to those types of situations because they're in it. So to have my peers speak up and talk about that, it means a lot to me.”

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt. 

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