Ranking Carmelo Anthony's Most Disappointing Seasons Ever

Carmelo Anthony's second full season with the New York Knicks, once so full of promise, appears to be headed down a path that's likely to end in disappointment.

According to the Knicks, Anthony's bothersome right knee had to be drained on March 14, putting his availability for upcoming games in doubt.

"

Carmelo Anthony had a soft tissue fluid collection of his posterior right knee aspirated today in NY. He is questionable for Sunday at LA.

— NY_KnicksPR (@NY_KnicksPR) March 14, 2013"

After leading his team to a surprising 18-5 start and playing the best basketball of his career, things have gone downhill in a hurry for Melo. But this is a guy who has struggled through more than his share of letdowns over the years, so this latest setback probably feels uncomfortably familiar to him.

It hasn't always been injuries that have prevented Anthony from making good on expectations. In fact, durability has been one of his calling cards. But personal slip-ups, professional blunders and the occasional non-basketball mistakes have combined to prevent Melo from reaching the levels he—and just about everyone else—believe are within his reach.

Looking back over Anthony's career, we'll see that this season is just the latest in a string of disappointing campaigns that have piled up at an alarming rate over the years.

5. All-Star Snubbery

One of the biggest bummers in a truly excellent player's career is his first All-Star snub. Despite pre-All-Star break numbers in 2005-06 that included averages of 26 points and 5.3 rebounds on 46 percent shooting, Anthony wasn't named to the Western Conference All-Star team.

That would have been disappointing enough, but the season ended badly for Anthony's Denver Nuggets, too.

Though they amassed a 44-38 record, the Nuggets suffered a quick 4-1 defeat at the hands of the L.A. Clippers in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

An All-Star snub and a rapid playoff exit only rank this as the fifth-most disappointing season for Anthony, which should give a pretty good indication of how rough things are going to get as we move on.

4. The Sweep Makes Five

Playoff failure had become something of a familiar friend to Anthony by the time the 2007-08 season rolled around. But after being bounced in the first round for four consecutive years, it looked like Denver was ready to finally get over the hump.

In his fifth season, Anthony averaged 25.7 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists on 49 percent shooting for the Nuggets, who topped the 20-win mark for the first time in 20 years. The Nuggets were looking good.

But a resounding four-game sweep in the first round of the postseason by the L.A. Lakers made it five straight one-and-done playoff appearances for Anthony and his team.

Oh, and to top things off, Anthony picked up a DUI arrest in April. Personally and professionally, the 2007-08 season was a pretty disappointing affair for Melo.

3. A Rocky Second Act

The 2004-05 season was supposed to be the year Anthony made the leap from "good rookie" to "great player."

Instead, he saw a slight decrease in playing time and registered lower scoring, rebounding and assist averages than he posted in his first campaign the year before.

On top of the relative lull in his development, Melo found himself embroiled in the infamous "Stop Snitching" controversy in late 2004. Anthony's appearance in a video aimed at discouraging folks in his hometown of Baltimore from cooperating with police was a black mark on his public image.

And if that wasn't enough, Anthony was also a member on the hugely disappointing 2004 USA Basketball squad that took home a bronze medal.

Oh, and it should go without saying that the Nuggets suffered a first-round playoff exit. At this point, just assume that's the case unless you hear otherwise.

2. Big Apple, Big Disappointment

The 2011-12 season marked the first time Anthony was able to add a "coach killer" descriptor to his NBA resume. Everyone remembers Melo's first full season with the Knicks as the year when Linsanity swept through the Big Apple, but it's critical to note that a discontented Anthony had a hand in the other big story from that year: Mike D'Antoni's decision to resign.

Howard Beck of The New York Times wrote on March 14, 2012:

"

The tension between D’Antoni and Anthony has been building for 13 months, since Anthony arrived in a controversial trade. It reached a crisis point over the last two weeks, as the Knicks lost 8 of 10 games, while Anthony bristled over his role. Finally, on Wednesday morning, D’Antoni asked to meet with team officials and with James L. Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman. D’Antoni asked Dolan if he would be open to trading Anthony before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trading deadline, according to a person briefed on the meeting. When Dolan said no, D’Antoni offered to resign.

"

The Knicks would go on to make the playoffs under Mike Woodson, but the overall tone of Anthony's first full year with the Knicks was definitely one of missed opportunity. He couldn't mesh with his coach or the team's newest star.

Don't worry though, things would get even worse in the following year.

1. Hot Start, Fast Fall, Bad Knee

And we return to where we started.

That's right: This season is the most disappointing in Anthony's career, but not because he's had any run-ins with the law, PR disasters or playoff defeats (yet). The 2012-13 campaign ranks No. 1 because of the promise Anthony and the Knicks showed early on.

After setting expectations so high with a fast start, both Anthony and the Knicks have plummeted back to earth, leaving real doubts about their ability to survive a first-round playoff series. And worst of all, the low point of the year came on the Denver floor Melo used to call home.

"

Guess what folks, it just got worse. Carmelo Anthony has walked to the locker room.

— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) March 14, 2013"

Things could change if Anthony miraculously recovers and the Knicks suddenly rediscover the hot shooting and defense that propelled them to a fast start, but until that happens, this season will remain the most disappointing of Anthony's career—so far.