4. Acquire Age Or Think Melo
When Phil Jackson took the helm a little over a year ago, we all knew what his first test was going to be.
It was dealing of Carmelo Anthony and his opt-out.
Simply put, Phil failed miserably with how it turned out.
From the get-go, Jackson proclaimed that he would only bring Melo back if he took a considerable discount. Fast-forward to the summer of 2014 and Anthony was signed to a mega 5-year, $124 million contract.
This happened to be $5 million less than the maximum.
These guys should have just signed the max. This $5 million nonsense was more a slap in the face to sensible onlookers.
Now, the Knicks are stuff with a broken down 31-year old scorer who doesn’t make anybody around him better.
Furthermore, they’re stuck with a face of the franchise who is very difficult to build around. Pieces need to fit perfectly around such a player.
Due to this reality, Jackson needs to draft as if Melo doesn’t even exist. Do not make the mistake of thinking Melo will stay healthy all year long.
Draft the best player at No. 4; not the best fit to go with Anthony.
