Fans may be calling for the New York Knicks to tank and improve their lottery odds, but Carmelo Anthony isn’t even considering an intentional loss.
The New York Knicks are well below .500 and in danger of missing the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season. Though their backs are against the wall, the Knicks haven’t yet lost hope that the 2016-17 season could be salvaged.
As the fans call for the Knicks to embrace the tank and improve their draft positioning, Carmelo Anthony refuses to accept an intentional loss.
The logic is sound in the community of people who believe New York should tank. The core in place has intriguing talent, but the Knicks need a young guard who can develop along the same timeline as 21-year-old Kristaps Porzingis and 22-year-old Willy Hernangomez.
According to Steve Popper of The Record, Anthony doesn’t understand how any player could go into a game with the mentality that they need to lose.
"“I don’t know how you do that as a player. I don’t know how you go into a game saying, ‘Today we’re going to try to lose this game or these next 15 games, 20 games, we’re going to figure out ways to lose and tank the season and try to start thinking about draft picks.’ That’s a terrible way to think. I don’t think no player in any sport should be thinking like that.”"
Anthony hit the nail on the head and perfectly summarized the dichotomy between the mentality of players and fans—and, perhaps, executives.
For Phil Jackson, Steve Mills, Clarence Gaines, and the rest of the front office, securing a Top 5 draft pick would be an ideal scenario. New York has an opportunity to do so, as it owns the eighth-worst record in the NBA.
It’s just 2.0 games ahead of the team with the fifth-worst record in the NBA, meaning Jackson’s crew could conceivably secure Top 5 lottery odds.
For the players, however, there’s no benefit in giving up on a season and losing any momentum that’s still capable of being built.
Anthony is 32 years of age and Courtney Lee is 31, meaning neither starter has time to waste on the outside of the postseason. Even if the Knicks were to lose in the first round, simply getting back to the playoffs would be progress for the veterans—and for that matter, the young players.
Porzingis can only benefit from the addition of a promising young perimeter player who fits his timeline, but he’d also benefit from experiencing the postseason environment.
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With the postseason within reach and Top 5 lottery odds even closer, the New York Knicks have a decision to make.
If Carmelo Anthony has it his way, tanking won’t be an option.