New York Knicks: 8 Reasons Carmelo Anthony and Steve Nash Wouldn't Coexist

Steve Nash enters free agency this summer, and one team that could surely show interest is the New York Knicks.

There is no guarantee that Jeremy Lin will be back with the team next year, and with stars Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire performing better when a true floor general gets the ball to them, Nash and his pass-first approach seem like a good fit on paper.

Yet, as much as I love both Nash and the Knicks, this is a marriage that should not happen under any circumstances. Yes, Nash is a fine player and, quite possibly, one of the best players to never win a title, but his potentially coming to New York is a recipe for a rift between him and Anthony. 

Given how team chemistry in basketball is key, here are some reasons as to why these two stars could never coexist on the Knicks.

Amar'e Stoudemire's Presence

There's an old saying that goes, "Too many cooks spoil the broth."

The way I see it, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire are more than enough star power for the Knicks. They performed well together (finally) under new coach Mike Woodson, and if you ask me, Nash would be one star too many.

His presence means more unnecessary shots being taken and less of an emphasis put on defense. That is the exact opposite of what the team is all about now.

But speaking of Coach Woodson...

Mike Woodson's System

The Knicks went 18-6 under Woodson, with Anthony and Stoudemire being responsible for most of the offense. This is because the former Atlanta Hawks coach runs an isolation system where he establishes his best scoring options and lets them do most of the work on that end.

In terms of the point guard position, the man needs a player who will play tough defense and make getting his two stars the ball first priority. Seeing as how Nash has spent the last decade in an offensive system reminiscent of former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, he wouldn't be a good fit in Woodson's system.

In fact, he would probably try to score more often than pass, since he's used to doing plenty of the former, and thus create a rift between himself and his teammates. Especially with the high-scoring Anthony.

Jeremy Lin Could Be Back Next Year

As talented as Nash is, the Knicks already have a point guard! 

Jeremy Lin proved to be a fine option running the floor last year, and his willingness to learn and be coached made him near-perfect in Woodson's system. In almost an instant, he went from being a high-scoring and high passing guard into one who mostly passed and only scored when absolutely necessary. On top of that, he also played tough defense.

Most important of all, he established a good on-court relationship with Anthony once Woodson took over as head coach. He is a restricted free agent this year, but it's unlikely that he'll receive any offers that the Knicks could not match.

That said, why break up the band?

Nash's Age

Nash is currently 38 years old, and he'll turn 39 in February. Sure, he can still keep up with the best of them, but he's still not getting any younger.

That being said, Anthony and the Knicks are basically establishing themselves as a young upstart team that is a force to be reckoned with. Should they sign Nash and his age suddenly catches up with him, that will throw a wrench into the team's plans—one that may never come out.

Big Market Inexperience

Carmelo Anthony is originally from New York, so he knows what it takes to satisfy the demanding fans. Sure, his time in a Knicks uniform has been short, but he has still essentially given the fans what they have asked for in high scoring and some solid rebounding.

Nash, on the other hand, doesn't have such experience. He has experience playing in two markets: Phoenix and Dallas. Yes, Dallas can be considered a larger market, but it's still pretty small compared to the likes of New York and Los Angeles. Plus, they didn't win a championship until Nash had been long gone from the team.

I'm not saying Nash isn't a mentally tough player, but at his age, dealing with fans as critical as those of the Knicks could be a bit much to handle. Should that happen, I can't imagine Anthony would be too happy with him.

New York Is Anthony's Town

As I mentioned before, having one too many stars on the Knicks would be a bad idea.  That said, New York is Anthony's territory, and having Nash on the team could turn into an ugly battle for the spotlight.

Look at it this way. Nash has been the alpha dog in Phoenix for the past 10 years. Now that he's entering the twilight of his career and is still a top contributor, do you really think he's ready to go out as someone hanging out in the background? 

I sure don't.

Nash Doesn't Play Defense

The moment Mike Woodson took over as head coach, Anthony upped his effort on defense and the Knicks did quite well as a result. Sure, his best efforts came on scoring, but he was at least alert and attentive on the other end of the floor.

Nash, on the other hand, would not be able to do this if he became a Knick. Though talented, he has averaged less than a steal a game for his career.

What would be the point of having him on the team if he couldn't get on the same defensive page as Anthony and the rest of his teammates?

The Knicks Don't Need Him!

As I mentioned before, the Knicks went 18-6 once Mike Woodson took over as coach. Much of this success was from establishing Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire as the top scoring options, with them getting most of the opportunities.

That said, there is absolutely no reason to bring Nash in as point guard and risk a team chemistry nightmare between him, Anthony or even Stoudemire. The way I see it, the team is fine the way it is and is set up for many years of success under their new coach.

Having Nash share the ball with Anthony and the others will just undo all of that.