Knicks Get Their Own Entry In Dwight Howard Trade Rumors

"I'm positive the Knicks have called just in case Dwight [Howard] changes up," an Eastern Conference GM said. "I'm sure they've offered a combination of everybody, excluding Jeremy Lin, of course. Otis [Smith] deserves a lot of credit for not putting it out on the street which teams have offered what."

Amar'e Stoudemire? Pfft. Carmelo Anthony? Ha! Tyson Chandler? Go ahead. Jeremy Lin -- Jeremy Lin -- is the only untouchable on the Knicks roster? I mean, I know it would be suicidal for the franchise to trade the marketing entity that is Lin, even if the basketball properties of Lin-for-Dwight are so insulting as to be laughable. But that's where we are.

This rumor does raise an interesting question: Isn't 'Melo a better catch than Brook Lopez at this point? 'Melo is older, more expensive and proving to be a difficult fit, coach-wise. (He does not strike me as a strong Stan Van Gundy match.) But he's a far more productive player than Lopez, and the young center will be getting paid come July. Not 'Melo money, but plenty of money -- maybe $12 million per season.

Anthony and Chandler for Howard and Hedo Turkoglu might be the best non-Andrew Bynum trade we'll see. And wouldn't that be something, for the Knicks to steal Howard from under the Nets' nose, leading to Deron Williams bailing in July?