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It's no longer a question if Phil Jackson wants to move Carmelo Anthony, only when he gets Melo's cooperation finally to pull it off. The logical move is in the offseason, which would appear to be arriving for the New York Knicks the minute the regular season ends. Then again, the logical move would've been to convince Melo to waive his no-trade clause after the team fell out of playoff contention by making it painfully clear he's unwanted.

Now that the rift between Phil and Melo is irreparable and the team is foundering, the Knicks should move him before the trade deadline, and the Los Angeles Clippers are the only destination that makes sense.

Anthony and his wife would accept trading L.A. for N.Y., the Clippers at least have the guise of being a title contender and there are no two players closer than Melo and Chris Paul (yes, even closer than Dwyane Wade and LeBron James). However, this can't be a two-team deal if the Knicks are going to get what they want (and need, to save face), which is young talent plus a first-round pick in the loaded 2017 draft, because the Clippers already dealt theirs to Toronto.

I had heard rumblings of a three-way deal involving Boston that would include Jaylen Brown and a future first-round pick to the Knicks, but meeting salary-cap requirements could be problematic, and the pick would be for 2018 or beyond. Chicago, Denver, Toronto, Philadelphia, Utah and Portland all could have multiple 2017 first-round picks; Utah, Denver, Philly and Phoenix all have at least $10 million in available cap space to work with as well.

Is the lure of joining CP3 enough for Melo to cave and uproot his family in the middle of the season? Are the Knicks desperate enough to move on from the Melo era to take the best available offer now rather than wait until closer to the draft? Is Phil savvy enough to work a three-way deal? We're about to find out.

—Ric Bucher