Carmelo Anthony: Is it time for Melo to go?

Dec 1, 2013; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony (7) during the third quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Madison Square Garden. New Orleans Pelicans won 103-99. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

The New York Knicks currently sit at 3-13 at the bottom of their division and conference. They are riding a nine-game losing streak. They’re digging their own grave by constantly losing games they should have won.

Carmelo Anthony has the option to opt out of his contract this season, making him a free agent and Melo has said he does want to be a free agent after the season. If the Knicks play terribly this season, the chances of Carmelo returning are basically zero. Its simple math; superstars want to win. He forced his way out of Denver so he can play for a contender in the Knicks. If the Knicks cannot provide contention, he will not hesitate to leave.

If he were to leave, the Knicks would have lost so much to get Melo, and he is basically walking away for nothing if he were to leave.

Should the Knicks consider trading him?

Right now, no. It is too early in the season, and Tyson Chandler is out and Raymond Felton has been battling injuries. The Knicks have shown they are a completely different team without the presence of Chandler clogging the paint, and he is arguably their second most valuable player on the team besides Anthony.

Chandler is about two weeks away from a return and if the Knicks can turn things around and pick up some wins before he comes back, they should be in good shape.

But, if they continue to falter without him, when he gets back it may be too late. They would have to go on a huge winning streak just to get back to .500.

If the Knicks are continuing to struggle and are not showing any signs of improvement, it might be the best move to trade Melo away and at least get some picks or a prospect for him. It would be better than having him walk for nothing.

The Knicks would then have to cap flexibility to go after guys like Kevin Love or Kyrie Irving in 2015. The Knicks would most likely be a lottery team over the next two years, but it gives them picks, cap room, and possibly young players to build on.

If Melo just walks you are looking at no first rounders anytime soon as the Knicks traded most of theirs in the Melo and Andrea Bargnani deals. If Melo just walks, the Knicks are going to have to just pray that Love and Irving leave their teams and come to New York, or else they will be back to the old Knicks that were the laughing stocks of the league when Isiah Thomas ran things around town.

Love  has strong connections with the west coast, being born in California and going to college in UCLA. Kyrie has also shown he can not do it alone, so the Knicks would really need both to succeed.

Trading Melo right now would be a bad move. It is too early and the Knicks are not at full strength. But if the Knicks continue to look pathetic, abysmal, and just a slight hint of being lackadaisical until the trade deadline, it may be in their best interests to look to deal Melo.