The New York Knicks and Carmelo Anthony are in it for the long ride, or at least for one more season. Any rumors about trades involving the All-Star will hit a dead end eventually; it’s going to be at least one more season before this starts making sense.
Zach Lowe is great at telling a story of why something happened or happens, but he isn’t very good at predicting the future based on what he sees. The fact that Markieff Morris is unsettled at Phoenix and the Suns would like to trade him has nothing to do with Anthony, and it’s hard to see what assets the Suns could give the Knicks they’d be happy with, while it’s hard to see anyone around the league, at least right now, giving up half a team for Anthony and his massive deal.
And the Knicks, who were in full tanking mode last season, aren’t too terrible anymore, at least on paper. The additions of Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams and Kyle O’Quinn should make them more respectable and who knows, maybe even a playoff team. Anthony having a no-trade clause helps us determine that it’s not going to be this season that he’s moved.
However, if this season the Knicks, once again built offensively around Anthony, don’t show any signs of progress or heading in the right direction, the noise around Anthony and Phil Jackson regarding a trade and finding a new focal point for this franchise, which isn’t going to win a championship anyway while Anthony is their biggest star.