Knicks: Carmelo Anthony Defends And Heralds New Additions
New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony loves the Brandon Jennings, Joakim Noah, and Derrick Rose signings—even if some critics don’t.
Phil Jackson and the New York Knicks took three calculated risks during the summer of 2016. One could argue that every move in free agency qualifies as such, but no signings embody that more than Brandon Jennings, Joakim Noah, and Derrick Rose.
As critics and skeptics circle Noah and Rose like vultures, team captain Carmelo Anthony has jumped to their defense.
The criticism of Jennings, Noah, and Rose has little to do with what they offer when healthy. The issue, however, is that all three have battled significant injuries and struggled to stay exactly that: healthy.
According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, Anthony has brushed off the injury talk and is thrilled to be playing alongside Noah and Rose—two players whom he nearly called teammates in 2014.
"“Sometimes you need a breath of fresh air — in Derrick’s case,’’ Anthony said. “He’s locked in right now. He’s focused. I’m hearing he’s healthy. I’m trying to get everyone in the gym. That’s how you build the relationships — off the court, too.”“Just seeing that team, and as a competitor, playing against them, always knowing what that team was always missing,’’ Anthony said. “That’s why I was looking at that opportunity at that time. Now they came to me. Couple of years out, but we’ll take it.’’"
It’s better late than never—and better in New York than Chicago if you’re a Knicks fan.
As he alluded to, Anthony nearly played with Noah and Rose in 2014, when he chose the Knicks over the Chicago Bulls in free agency. It was the combination of Noah and Rose who intrigued Anthony the most, which makes the current union all the more intriguing.
If Noah and Rose can remain healthy, then they should be wonderful complements to Anthony.
Anthony is a proven commodity with the ball in his hands, as evidenced by his ranking No. 29 on the all-time scoring list. Rose is still dangerous himself, even if he has lost some of his explosiveness to knee injuries.
In the 49 games that followed the removal of the protective mask that blurred Rose’s vision, he averaged 17.3 points on 44.9 percent shooting—and yes, that was in 2015-16.
As for Noah, he’s struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, but was the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year. He’s also a brilliant passer and rebounder who offers essentially the same skill set as Robin Lopez, but with a higher ceiling and a stronger impact on the defensive glass.
With all of the hype surrounding Noah and Rose, it’s become far too easy to overlook Jennings—a player whom Anthony believes will provide the perfect contrast to Rose’s game as a backup.
"“Two totally different type of players,’’ Anthony said. “What they bring to the court — Derrick his explosiveness. He demands attention when he has the ball. For me I can play off that. I can pick my spots on the court. I don’t have to get it every play hopefully. I’m looking forward to it. [Brandon] was a starting point guard in this league at one point. To have him as backup to Derrick, I think it was a great pickup for us.’’"
At the very least, Jennings and Rose provide an on-paper upgrade over the Knicks’ 2015-16 point guards.
If Rose and Jennings remain healthy, then their contrasting abilities will keep opposing guards on their toes. Rose can create penetration and either finish at the rim, pull up from midrange, or distribute, and Jennings is a productive 3-point shooter with similar finesse strengths.
The question is, can Jennings, Noah, and Rose remain healthy in 2016-17?
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If they can, then Anthony’s optimism projects to be rewarded.