Day-to-Day: Melo trade rumors and bad D in the East

The Step Back Day-to-Day NBA Podcast

We discuss the seemingly realistic possibility of Carmelo Anthony being traded by the New York Knicks and the top three Eastern Conference teams being subpar on defense in the latest episode of The Step Back's Day-to-Day NBA Podcast, hosted by Jason Mann. Jared Dubin, host of the Locked on Knicks podcast, joins the program to talk about signals that Anthony is willing to waive his no-trade clause and that Phil Jackson is willing to trade him, looking at the trade possibilities with the Los Angeles Clippers, whether the Knicks are better without Anthony no matter the return, why other rumored deals to Boston and Cleveland aren't likely, how bad the Knicks have been at trades and free agency during the Melo era, and what is Anthony's legacy in New York. We also talk about Jared's recent piece at The Step Back about how Boston, Cleveland and Toronto, the top three teams in the East, are struggling on defense. We discuss how much the Cavaliers really need a playmaker (as requested by LeBron James), how unprecedented it would be for the top three teams in a conference to finish below average in defense, how Cleveland is allowing more wide-open looks, and how Boston's rebounding has cratered since acquiring Al Horford.