New York Knicks: Five times trades for star players were made

Carmelo Anthony arrives

New York Knicks trade: Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov, a 2012 second-round pick (Quincy Miller), a 2013 second-round pick (Romero Osby), a 2014 first-round pick (Dario Saric), and a 2016 first-round pick to the Denver Nuggets (Jamal Murray) (Nuggets acquired the rights to swap 2016 first-round pick with Knicks); Eddy Curry, Anthony Randolph and cash to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Denver Nuggets trade: Carmelo Anthony, Renaldo Balkman, Chauncey Billups, Anthony Carter and Shelden Williams to the Knicks; a 2015 second-round pick (Richaun Holmes) to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Minnesota Timberwolves trade: Corey Brewer to the New York Knicks; Kosta Koufos to the Denver Nuggets.

One of the most complicated trades of the past decade, the New York Knicks sent the kitchen sink to the Denver Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony, who wanted out of his situation and didn’t have a terrific relationship with head coach George Karl.

The Knicks were forced to give three starters, two of which were young talents and the other was in the midst of a career year. Mozgov was on the rise, as well, in his rookie year.

The picks were the other add-on, which wiped out some of New York’s assets for a chunk of its rise to basketball prominence. That continued in later seasons, with the trade for Andrea Bargnani and relinquishment of a first-round pick.

As for Anthony, he played as advertised for the Knicks from 2011-17. He soared for 28.7 points per game in 2012-13 and 27.4 in 2013-14. Along with making the All-Star game in each season, he was a superstar.

Did Anthony’s time underwhelm, though? The Knicks made the postseason in his first three years, but missed out in his final four, before the 2017 trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Few assets remained to add young talent around Anthony, and questionable trades and free-agent signings didn’t provide a boost. Couple that with a strenuous public relationship with the president of basketball operations, Phil Jackson, and it ended Anthony’s tenure on a sour note.

Danillo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler and Raymond Felton are still NBA contributors. Mozgov, unfortunately, is known for the Los Angeles Lakers giving him an albatross four-year, $64 million deal in 2016.

The draft picks also provided impact players, Jamal Murray and Dario Saric. Both are still early in their NBA careers, with plenty on the way.

Anthony gave the Knicks a face of the franchise for most of the 2010s. The results weren’t perfect, but he’s still an icon that lives on in the blue and orange’s history.