11/23/24
February 22, 2011
Knicks finally land Anthony: The Denver Nuggets have finally completed their long-awaited trade to send Carmelo Anthony to the New York Knicks. The three-team, 12-player trade sends Anthony, Chauncey Billups and three teammates to the Knicks and Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari and two others to the Nuggets along with a first-round pick. The Minnesota Timberwolves send Corey Brewer to New York and get money and some favorable cap space.
posted by BornIcon to basketball at 07:14 AM - 7 comments
It's a shame Carmelo couldn't have won something here in Denver. I don't really begrudge him leaving though, this team was just not working.
That conference finals appearance was both a high point and a source of annoyance. The whole team, but Carmelo especially, was just on another level of effort for that series. Carmelo just pushed Kobe around and outworked him. It was fun to watch but it makes the last two years of varying work rate rather tough to swallow.
I think you could see a significant up-tick in production from Carmelo as a Knick. Partly because of motivation but mostly because I think Dantoni is going to put him in better places to score. Less pinch post isos and more movement toward the hoop or open threes in transition. The Knicks are going to need the extra offense too because they're going to be atrocious on defense.
posted by tron7 at 10:30 AM on February 22, 2011
I'm still digesting this one. Here's a rundown of the contract implications. Apparently the Nuggets are saving $34 million as a result of the deal.
I heard on Mike and Mike this morning that the Nuggets owner was present at Anthony's wedding when Chris Paul toasted himself, Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire playing together in New York.
posted by rcade at 03:07 PM on February 22, 2011
I think Joey over @ Straight Bangin' has got it right:
More than anything, hurtling toward such an uncertain end is what casts the Anthony trade in the same negative light that has shone on the Knicks for years. After working with discipline and purpose to change Knick culture, cultivate opportunity, and repair horrific salary-cap damage, New York reverted to the bad habits which got it in trouble for so long. Only a little more than half a season into sobriety, in effect, the Knicks fell off the wagon, rather than trusting that staying clean and doing right would deliver even better days. New York has made a splash, and it may have set an initial foot on championship terra firma, no matter how circumscribed. Beyond doubt, though, is that New York has taken a huge risk, sacrificed short-term financial flexibility, discarded a big number of basketball assets, and once again placed celebrity glamor before sporting substance. The Knicks may get lucky and find that the organization's addiction to big names and cheap news coverage is finally met by championship basketball. It also might find itself mired in an uncomfortable, untenable morass of its own making yet again. Only time will tell, of course. Here's hoping that we all get to toast the former sometime soon.
posted by lilnemo at 08:28 PM on February 22, 2011
There are too many changes to all the teams for me to even wrap my mind around this. But the possibility of Chris Paul joining the Knicks is intriguing. Who wants to join Durant in OKC?
posted by bperk at 09:24 PM on February 22, 2011
OKC needs a big man to crash the boards. Ideally, Dwight Howard would end up there. God, Durant could average 40 a game if he had someone like him to draw defenses away.
posted by reenum at 10:49 PM on February 22, 2011
OKC needs a legit big man against teams that have legit big-men. The Ibaka/Collison duo do well enough against smaller teams or big men that are stumble-footed. And as well of a job as Presti and co. did for so long in the draft, I fear they royally fucked up in drafting Cole Aldrich last summer and trading Roddy Buckets for Byron Mullens on draft day the year before.
As much as I watch the Thunder, since they're they closest I have to a "local" team nowadays, they get killed way more consistently in that they don't have a knock-down 2-guard. James Harden, as much as I do like aspects of his game, is not the sniper they need (and in hindsight, he wasn't worth a 3rd overall pick either -- just think of how dangerous they'd be with Steph Curry in that slot).
Howard landing there would be monumental, reenum, but I just flat out don't see it happening. Hell of a ride if it did, though.
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:11 PM on February 22, 2011
The Knicks really had no choice but to give up the players they did. They can't sit around and assume Anthony would even make it to free agency, let alone sign with them if he did. It wasn't that long ago the Knicks were "assuming" LeBron would hit free agency and wind up with them.
This makes things interesting for the Knicks heading towards the playoffs.