Could Melo help the Clippers beat the Warriors? Probably not

It's officially deadline month! To celebrate, theScore's NBA editors will be asking and answering the questions that matter leading up to Feb. 23.

Sometimes you can see a sub-optimal trade coming down Broadway. This is one of those times.

The Los Angeles Clippers could be the only team Carmelo Anthony waives his no-trade clause for. He's said any move must work for his family, meaning his wife La La's entertainment career. In mass media, there are two cities: New York and Los Angeles. Anthony's close friend, Chris Paul, manning the point guard spot for the Clippers is the other reason.

Would it pay off, though? Probably not. And that's from the Clippers' perspective, not the Knicks', especially considering reports that any deal wouldn't involve any of L.A.'s "Big 3" of Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan.

Trading Melo in exchange for Jamal Crawford, Austin Rivers, spare parts, and potentially no draft picks, as some rumors suggest? Good luck in New York after that, Phil Jackson.

But back to the Clippers. While the idea of dropping another high-usage superstar into an already loaded lineup may be in vogue after Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors, this isn't the same thing.

The immediate issues that come to mind are Anthony's need for the ball in his hands and his aversion to defense. That's not to say he couldn't become more of a team guy when surrounded by three other All-Stars, but it could also upset the Clippers' equilibrium.

While Anthony's ability to isolate and create offense can take some of the load off Paul, how will this jive with Griffin and Jordan in the frontcourt? He'd be plugging into the starting small forward spot, sending Luc Richard Mbah a Moute back to the bench. Whereas the younger, better Durant fits with the Warriors as a combo forward alongside the uber-versatile Draymond Green, the Clippers' makeup is far more rigid.

That's where spacing comes in. Sure, Melo's hitting 36.5 percent of his shots from deep this season - his best success rate in four years - but in this Clippers dynamic he'd be needed on the perimeter more. That's why any notion of J.J. Redick - whose value to L.A. would multiply if this trade happened - being included in any deal should evaporate quickly.

It's also worth noting that Melo arguably plays his best basketball at power forward, which won't happen in this circumstance unless the Clippers plan on sitting Griffin or Jordan for long stretches. So, unless Griffin wants to take a swing at another team employee this February, Anthony won't be used in his optimal spot (having said that, injuries are always a concern in Clipperland, something obtaining Anthony could provide insurance against).

Obviously, Anthony is a talented scorer, and the Clippers might not have to sell the farm to get him (although they'd be thinning out their bench, possibly relying on players like 39-year-old Paul Pierce for more minutes). But would adding him to the starting five really strike fear into the heart of the Warriors? Does Melo help close L.A.'s gap with the up-the-coasters in any of these statistical categories?

Then there's the matchups. Come May, a healthy Golden State squad would throw combinations of Durant, Green, Andre Iguodala, and Zaza Pachulia at the Clippers' front line, while getting far more spacing of their own.

Make no mistake, obtaining Anthony would be an all-in move for the Clippers, even if the Knicks are willing to sell that low. But with or without Melo, it's difficult to see them taking four games from the Warriors.