Carmelo Anthony: ‘Melo sending the wrong message
The New York Knicks have yet to play the first game of the season and Carmelo Anthony is doing what he does best- hogging the spotlight.
He appears to now be making the same stand he did in Denver. Denver however foresaw the outcome and found a team to fleece Anthony to, yes, our Knicks, costing the Knicks core players and draft picks.
Oct 11, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) controls the ball against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Knicks 100-91. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
‘Melo is simply being selfish in the same light of Dwight Howard.
Look what Howard did to his last two franchises. If I’m Steve Mills, I will watch the seasons and signs closely. If the Knicks get off to a poor start, Carmelo will not take the heat, he will fly the coup.
A championship team is as much built on commitment as it is to talent. To me this is a spoiled boy crying out for attention.
He should take a lesson from LeBron James, talk about the team, the season and winning only. Now if Mills and James Dolan had the guts, they would give Anthony a drop dead date prior to season’s end, to either re-up or move him.
The fact his Anthony has two years remaining on his current contract but can opt out of the final season, worth $23.3 million. If he decides to opt out, Carmelo can make more money if he re-signs with the Knicks instead of another team. If ‘Melo decides to opt out of his contract and re-sign with the Knicks, he can sign a contract worth $129,135,806.
Now if he signs with another team, the maximum he can earn is $95,897,372 over four years. So the 30 million dollar question is, why would he even consider to leave New York?
Because he wants to be suited? Isn’t being loved and adored, the apple of the Big Apple enough?
Where would he go? Los Angeles? Did you hear that Mike D’Antoni?
With Howard gone and Metta World Peace in New York, with Steve Nash at the end of his career and Kobe Bryant coming off a serious injury, he would put himself in a rebuilding position.
As a writer and fan I feel let down, his timing is just wrong, selfish.
ESPN published:
",”I want to be a free agent,” Anthony told the New York Observer. “I think everybody in the NBA dreams to be a free agent at least one time in their career. It’s like you have an evaluation period, you know. It’s like if I’m in the gym and I have all the coaches, all the owners, all the GMs come into the gym and just evaluate everything I do. So yes, I want that experience.”"
Carmelo you had that then when the Knicks handed over half their team and gave you the key to New York. Now is your turn to earn your money and fan support and say, I’m staying in New York to win a championship and that’s final.
“I came to New York for a reason,” he said. “I’ve been with you all my life, almost to a fault. I wanted to come here and take on the pressures of playing in New York. So one thing I would tell my fans: If you haven’t heard it from me, then it ain’t true.”(ESPN)
Knicks president and general manager Steve Mills said late last month that New York has “every intention” of keeping Anthony beyond this season. This is the reason he was hired and Glen Grunwald was removed. Grunwald was just too mid-western for a street guy like Anthony.
The Knicks can begin negotiations with Carmelo on an extension in February of 2014. But if Anthony decides to opt out, New York will likely have plenty of competition for his services.
ESPN.com reported over the summer that the Lakers would target Anthony and James in the summer of 2014 if both stars decide to explore free agency.
This tells you LeBron is in the same position, yet he speaks only of improving his game during the offseason and leading the Miami Heat to a third consecutive championship.
‘Melo needs to take a lesson from LeBron- just shut up, play ball and win.
Dr. Eric Kaplan is a Best Selling author www.drerickaplan.com