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Where Does Carmelo Anthony’s Future with the Knicks Lie?

By Will Z. Schwartz

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When it comes to NBA superstars, few are more enigmatic than Carmelo Anthony.

A brilliant individual player, Melo has found his name among both the All-Star starters and leading scorers almost every season since joining the league in 2003. However throughout his career, he’s garnered question marks over his ability to lead a team to a title, obtaining little success during post season play. With the Knicks seemingly unable to escape from lottery mediocrity and Anthony’s window as a top player slowly shutting, Phil Jackson has an imminent dilemma on his hands: Where does Carmelo Anthony’s future with New York lie?

Upon first glance, it appears that parting ways with Melo would be unthinkable for Knicks. He may have his flaws, but at the end of the day he’s been one of the league’s biggest names for over a decade. His scoring ability ranks among the best of the past generation, and he’s consistently managed to showcase his elite ability since being drafted. Simply put, Carmelo Anthony is a bona fide NBA superstar. You don’t just casually trade those away.

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Additionally, it seems downright impossible to win an NBA championship without at least one star player. While teams such as the Hawks have managed to eke out impressive regular season showings despite a lack of any true big names, the fact of the matter is being successful in the playoffs requires players who can take a game by the scruff of its neck. With superstars already in short supply, why would the Knicks trade the one they’ve already got?

However while all this factored together initially points to keeping Melo being in the Knicks best interest, trading him may eventually become a very legitimate route for Phil Jackson to consider.

Carmelo Anthony may have achieved a lot with the Knicks from an individual standpoint, yet the expectations that were created when he was traded to New York haven’t come close to being fulfilled. The Knicks have missed the playoffs multiple times since he joined the team in 2011, tallying a measly 7 postseason victories during that span. Although many onlookers tipped the Knicks to eventually challenge for a title under Anthony’s leadership, New York’s fortunes couldn’t have turned out more differently.

Jan 29, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) watches from the bench during a game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats New York 103-82. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

To put it bluntly, Melo seems incapable of achieving any sort of significant postseason progress without the help of other star players. While his individual talent is up there with the best in the NBA, he doesn’t possess the aptitude to single-handedly drag his team through the playoffs (a la Lebron James last June). In particular, Anthony has rarely displayed the ability to make his surrounding teammates better, an attribute that is crucial for any star with aspirations of leading their team to a title.

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This was best exemplified during his Nuggets’ days. Throughout a majority of his time in Denver, Anthony was unable to even get past the first round of the playoffs, routinely underachieving on what should have been an incredibly successful team. It was only when Chauncey Billups was added to the squad in a trade with Detroit did Melo finally manage to make his breakthrough, advancing all the way to the Western Conference finals and giving the eventual champions Los Angeles a run for their money in the process.

With stars in short supply in the NBA these days, the notion of pairing Anthony with one or two top players has become progressively more unrealistic for Phil Jackson. Playing in New York no longer holds the allure that it once did, and free agents are prioritizing success over big markets with increasing regularity. Seeing as the odds that Anthony can lead the Knicks to an NBA championship on his own are on par with Amar’e Stoudemire playing a full 82 game season, trading him while his value is still high may be the best way forward for New York.

Furthermore, keeping Carmelo Anthony would heavily contradict the rebuilding process that the Knicks are currently undergoing. With the future of the club based largely on the fortunes of first round draft picks Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant, it seems New York is expecting to undergo a few more seasons of mediocrity before achieving any sort of success.

Drafting Porzingis in particular is proof that the rebuild is in full swing. If Phil Jackson had his eyes on immediate progression, he would have targeted more league ready prospects such as Justise Winslow or Willie Cauley-Stein, who would slot right in next to Anthony as ready made NBA role players. Instead, he opted for Porzingis. While the towering Latvian was undeniably the most talented player on the board, he also represents a project that will take at least a couple of years before he’s able to meaningfully contribute on a consistent basis.

Jun 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Kristaps Porzingis (SPN) reacts after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

It will certainly take time for this Knicks team to reach its potential, time that frankly, Carmelo Anthony simply can’t afford to waste. Melo has never achieved much success in New York, and Phil Jackson’s new emphasis on youth development will further hinder any chance of that happening. That isn’t to say the Knicks should just trade him as soon as possible. After all, he is Carmelo Anthony. However if a team is willing to part ways with a package of young assets and picks in order to obtain Melo’s services, parting ways may be in the best interest of both parties.

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