'Melo Out
Written by Josh Katz
It’s official ladies and gentlemen. At 10:30PM Madison Square Garden time, The New York Knickerbockers finally landed their man, superstar baller Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets. There is a lot to break down from this trade, from the move itself, to the players, to the Knicks and their new lease on life in the Eastern Conference. This is a very detailed and complicated trade, which is to be expected when a mega-star is dealt in the middle of a season, along with many haters criticizing and crushing the Knicks for giving up too much. But what’s done is done. Carmelo is a Knick. And Eastern Conference foes, beware.
From the very beginning, it was no secret that Carmelo Anthony wanted to come home. The man is a New York native, playing his college ball at Syracuse University to much fame. ‘Melo was drafted by the Denver Nuggets, where he became an immediate superstar. Carmelo can do it all on the offensive end of the court. He can shoot the basketball, drive and create opportunities for his teammates unlike many others, which is what makes him a top ten talent in the Association.
Over the past ten years, Madison Square Garden was a wasteland of sorts. A dumping ground for awful contracts, mind-boggling trades and pitiful draft picks which kept the Knicks in the cellar of the Eastern Conference. And I refuse to discuss Isiah Thomas, who ran the Knicks into the ground like a railroad spike with his ear-to-ear smile as he spent James Dolan’s money on disgraceful players for the better part of the decade. Let’s also not forget the Lebron debacle, which left Knick fans yearning for another superstar (no offense to Amar’e) to call the Garden home.
When you break this trade down, it was really a no-brainer. Carmelo Anthony is a top-ten NBA talent, talent that does not grow on trees. The Knicks did give up a lot, and there is no disputing that statement. But when you look at the bare parameters of the trade, what exactly did the Knicks give up that broke the camels back? Think of it like this: At the end of the season, The Knicks would’ve likely given up Wilson Chandler for cap relief in order to land a Carmelo Anthony or another big-name free agent, so Chandler is a wash. Raymond Felton was a nice surprise this season, but his numbers were certainly inflated because of Mike D’Antoni’s system and the acquisition of Amar’e Stoudemire. So basically, the Knicks traded Felton for Billups straight up. Billups also has experience, a championship ring, a nickname of “Mr. Big shot” and now TWO mega-stars to feed to the ball to. I’m not losing any sleep over the loss of Raymond Felton, but thank you for the wonderful half-season in blue and orange. So then, you boil the trade down to sharpshooter Danilo Gallinari, who was streakier than Will Ferrell in Old School. Gallo was a fan favorite, but if you ask me who I’d rather have, him or Carmelo Anthony, it’s a joke. As for Mozgov, Curry and Randolph, I’ll take my chances with Shelden Williams, Balkman and Anthony Carter, who are all role-players by nature. And any GM knows that you can always add role players via the draft, free agency or even a point guard such as Deron Williams or Chris Paul, who may find it very attractive to come play in New York City with two mega-stars.
So now the Knick haters will unite, say that the Knicks gave up way too much, that Carmelo may not fit in the system, and blah blah blah you’re just jealous. Because in one half of a season, basketball has been restored to Madison Square Garden. The Knicks now have Amar’e, Carmelo and Billups running the floor in the World’s Most Famous Arena. I can only imagine the electricity come playoff time when the Garden is rocking, when the city is united. Met & Yankee Fans, Jet & Giant Fans, Ranger & Devil fans hugging and kissing in the streets because Carmelo and Stoudemire just made it rain the postseason. This is a dream come true for Knick fans of all ages. After years of embarrassment, the Knicks are back and raring to go. And it may not be this year, but Eastern Conference foes, beware of the Knickerbockers, and Carmelo Anthony.
