It's been a crazy offseason in the NBA so far, with stars like Paul George, Chris Paul, Kyrie Irving and many others finding new homes.However, despite being mentioned in several trade rumors this summer, New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony remains in the Big Apple, waiting to see if he'll be the next big name on the move before the start of the 2017-18 season.Though he clashed with former Knicks president Phil Jackson, Anthony is still on the team, despite being involved in rumored trades with the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland Trail Blazers and more.According to reporter David Pick, though, there's one strong sign that Anthony will end up starting the upcoming season with the Knicks, as he's been in contact with several teammates this offseason, especially as some of them have been participating in international tournaments:

Having Melo engaged with his teammates is a good sign for this year, as the Knicks have some talent and could compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference if everything goes right.

Without Jackson in the mix, meddling with things that shouldn't be meddled with, coach Jeff Hornacek and the Knicks should be able to pair Anthony, Kristaps Porzingis and other role players into a unit that can compete with many teams in the East.

In a recent interview with NBA.com, Melo said he feels like he's connected to the New York area and isn't in a hurry to leave the Big Apple any time soon:

“It don’t feel like 6-and-a-half years,” Anthony said. “It’s a long time, it’s a long time.

“I’ll always be a part of this community, regardless of where I’m at. I will always come back here, I will always have business here, I will always have family here.

“Those things will never change, so I will always be tied to New York.”

Anthony said earlier this offseason that he'd only waive his full no-trade clause to be dealt to the Cavaliers or Rockets, later amending that to only include the Rockets.

However, the Blazers have been a strong entry into the offseason sweepstakes, with guard C.J. McCollum being a strong recruiter of the star forward.

It's hard not to imagine what Melo would be able to do in Cleveland or Portland or Houston, but he seems to be more than happy in New York, so it will be interesting to see what happens if he does indeed start the year with the Knicks.