Rumor: Blazers, Knicks, Rockets Discussing Trade; Moe Harkless, Meyers Leonard, Ryan Anderson, Carmelo Anthony May Be Involved

The Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, and New York Knicks may be discussing a trade involving Maurice Harkless, Meyers Leonard, Ryan Anderson, and Carmelo Anthony, according to Twitter user JSports_ent:

This rumor has NOT been confirmed. JSports_ent also makes it clear that the negotiations, if they are happening, are in the very early stages:

JSports_ent also implied that the Rockets are on-board with the proposed deal, which may suggest that the Blazers and/or Knicks are still negotiating.

Trade rumors linked Harkless with the Knicks last month and some unconfirmed Twitter sleuthing suggested Anthony may have flown to Houston very recently.

JSports_ent does not have a significant national following, but he does have an endorsement from ESPN’s Ian Begley. He also tweeted about Robin Lopez’s involvement in the trade that landed Derrick Rose with the Knicks last summer, and about Courtney Lee’s interest in joining the Knicks. Both of those transactions were completed shortly after JSports_ent’s tweets.

Any permutation of this trade will almost certainly result in Anthony joining the Rockets, as has been discussed, meaning that the Blazers would likely acquire Anderson. On the surface, a trade sending Harkless and Leonard to the Knicks and Anderson to the Blazers appears to work from a league rules perspective.

The Blazers would not receive luxury tax relief in the deal; all three players are under contract for three more seasons and Anderson’s salary is roughly equal to Harkless’ and Leonard’s combined. Portland would, however, clear a roster spot and acquire a player who averaged 13.6 points and 4.6 rebounds on 40.3 percent three-point shooting last season.