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Celtics Reportedly Expressed Interest In Carmelo Anthony At Trade Deadline

BOSTON (CBS) -- A reported deal for Jahlil Okafor wasn't the only mega-deal Danny Ainge was working on at last week's NBA trade deadline.

According to ESPN, Ainge and the Celtics were interested in acquiring Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony at last Thursday's deadline. However, the veteran scorer didn't have much interest in leaving the Knicks for the Celtics.

Via ESPN's Ian Begley:

Prior to the trade deadline, the Boston Celtics expressed interest in obtaining Anthony via a trade with the Knicks, according to league sources with knowledge of the situation.

It is unclear if there were any formal discussions between New York and Boston and if those discussions ever reached an advanced stage. But Boston was informed that Anthony had no desire to leave the Knicks via trade to play for the Celtics, sources say.

It just goes to show that Ainge was kicking the tires on just about everything at the deadline.

Boston's interest in Anthony has hit the rumor mills a few times over the years, and was always met with a lot of negativity from Celtics fans. Now it appears Anthony feels the same way, committed to being the top scorer on the lowly and rebuilding Knicks.

Boston didn't make any moves at last week's relativity quiet deadline, but Ainge told Toucher & Rich Thursday morning he expects a lot of action this summer.

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