With rumors of the New York Knicks trading Carmelo Anthony having swirled all season, those uncertainties may have him gone next season.
Carmelo Anthony might be on his way out of New York thanks to a lack of knowledge on the future of the New York Knicks. After no movement occurred around the trade deadline, he doesn’t know the team’s direction.
ESPN’s Ian Begley said New York would possibly shop Melo in the offseason after they failed to do so at the trade deadline.
“The Knicks shopped Anthony in trade talks before the deadline and, barring an unforeseen change, of course, remain committed to moving Anthony in the offseason, per sources.”
The ex-Syracuse phenom will be on his way to the Hall of Fame after he’s retired, but Anthony’s playoff resume isn’t great. Melo has not been to the Eastern Conference finals and hasn’t even made the postseason for four seasons now.
This year, Anthony was hoping that the Knicks could get back to the playoffs because of the new talented additions added to his squad. However, the season didn’t go as planned, to say the least.
During the trade deadline week, New York was out of the playoffs and wanted to focus on the younger players and rebuilding. The direction team president Phil Jackson wanted to go was to trade Melo and Derrick Rose. However, the only way Jackson could trade Melo was if he waived his no-trade clause. Anthony was only going to waive his no-trade clause if the team he was going to was a proven winner.
Via Begley:
“I think it will be more on the front office,” Anthony told Newsday this week, for a story published Friday night. “I have the power, but still I would talk to them. We would be in communication if they feel like they want to go in a different direction, they want to start rebuilding for the future. If they tell me they want to scrap this whole thing, yeah, I have to consider it.”
Currently, the Knicks are 27–43 and Melo does not want to be a part of a tanking team, as he has clearly stated several times in the past. He has also given out clues this season of him going elsewhere. Recently, he stated that he missed the playoffs and wants to get back to postseason ball, but he cannot do that if the Knicks are trying to rebuild.
“It’s something that you sit back and think about, it’s something you miss,’’ Anthony said. “I miss it. It’s something I’ve gotten used to throughout my career. Just being there, getting a shot, what can happen in the playoffs. I miss it. I miss it a lot and (IT’S) something I think about.’’
New York might not be close to being a playoff team, but after 70 games the team chemistry is still not there according to Kristaps Porzingis and Rose. Part of the lack of chemistry is because the team started to run the triangle offense and other different offensive schemes.
The Knicks are fully committed to the triangle, according to Jackson. Jackson has been running informal practice with the guards and big men about the sequence of the triangle system.
The president’s new way will change the Knickerbockers’ scenery.
Their starting point guard will enter his first free agency in his career, and he’s looking forward to it. Rose is averaging 17.8 PPG, 4.5 APG and is shooting a career-best since his ACL injury at 46.5 percent.
The one-time youngest MVP dislikes his role on the team, as he feels like he gets all of his points from random baskets. Rose feels that way due to his extreme disdain for the triangle system, as he’s stated publicly. Jackson already said that the players would be evaluated on how well they ran the system when the triangle is in full effect.
There is an enormous possibility that New York will be without Rose and Anthony when next season opens up — a split that would drastically change the Knicks’ look for the future.
