Carmelo Anthony to New York: Why the Knicks Should Remain Patient

There has been a constant wave of rumors surrounding the possible destinations for Denver Nuggets star forward Carmelo Anthony since August.  And as we enter the new year, we are no closer to a definitive answer to that question.

It is a well-known fact that Anthony's preferred destination is New York.  It is another well-known fact that the Nuggets have shown little interest in the package the Knicks can put together for Anthony and are more enticed by what the New Jersey Nets can offer in terms of assets and draft picks.

The Knicks would love to add Anthony to their roster, but at what cost are they willing to do so?  Relinquishing too many valuable assets now for Anthony may not be the best move for the immediate or foreseeable future.

To land Anthony, it is believed the Knicks would have to move Anthony Randolph to another team to acquire a first round draft pick.  They would then have to send Landry Fields, Danilo Gallinari and/or Wilson Chandler along with the first-round pick and Eddy Curry's expiring contract to the Nuggets.  Not to mention they would probably have to take back a bad contract, such as J.R. Smith's, from the Nuggets.

Is Anthony really worth the Knicks relinquishing this many assets? 

The answer is no. 

Anthony is a ferocious rebounder and an unstoppable scorer, but he is not worth the high price the Nuggets have set.  And the Knicks need to be aware of this no matter how much they may want to add another superstar to play along side Amare Stoudemire.

The Knicks want to become legitimate championship contenders in the near future.  This means they need to be equipped to keep pace with the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat.  Adding Anthony to the Knicks current roster would instantly make them championship contenders, but adding Anthony to a roster that just had to trade two, or even possibly three, players out of the current starting lineup is a different story.

If the Knicks give in to the Nuggets' current demands for Anthony, they would be trading away three of their current starters and be left with a starting lineup consisting of Ronnie Turiaf, Stoudemire, Anthony, Smith and Raymond Felton.  It's a starting lineup that is far from being a pushover, but it won't be winning championships anytime soon.

The best option for the Knicks and their fans, as painful as it may be to hear, is to be patient.  The Knicks need to either wait for Anthony to back the Nuggets down in to a corner where they will be forced to drop their demands substantially or take their chances in acquiring Anthony via free agency.

Patience is a risk on the Knicks' part, but only a small one.  Anthony reportedly would like to sign his three-year, $65 million extension to the team he is traded to in anticipation of the new owner-friendly Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

However, the Nets are really the only other major player in Anthony sweepstakes right now, and if he wants to take his chances with the roster the Nets can put together around him, then that's an outcome Knicks fans should lose little sleep over.

It is more plausible to believe Anthony may be traded as a rental to a contending team in February and then bolt for New York during the free agency period.  Also, it is not impossible that Anthony signs the contract extension and remains in Denver, but this scenario becomes less likely with each passing day.

However, the Nuggets are underestimating Anthony's willingness to leave money on the table and head to the Knicks.  This is not to say that they are naive enough to hold on to Anthony and let him walk away for nothing via free agency.  Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri has seen the effects of this approach during his time in Toronto and will not allow Anthony to leave without getting something in return.

Most believe that the Nuggets will inevitably trade Anthony to the Knicks.  This a comforting perspective to many Knicks fans, but the comfort may be short-lived if the Knicks wind up overpaying.

Depleting their young core to acquire Anthony will not bring the Knicks any closer to being a championship contender.  However, this does not mean the Knicks should not pull the trigger on an Anthony trade if they have the opportunity to do so.  It does mean, though, that they must understand Anthony is not a necessity for them if the price is too steep.

The good news is that Knicks president Donnie Walsh is a very intelligent man.  And while many Knicks fans may be begging for him to acquire Anthony at all costs, he knows better. 

Walsh understands the Knicks are no longer a desperate franchise.  They are no longer the laughingstock of the NBA, and he is very much responsible to getting them to where they are now.

At 20-14, there is no immediate urgency for the Knicks to gut their roster for one player.  Those days are over. Fans are still just as hungry for an NBA title, but the Knicks will continue to progress toward championship contender status even if they do not land Anthony. 

The path they take to achieve contender status will need to be adjusted without Anthony, but the end goal will remain the same.

Walsh, coach Mike D'Antoni and the players are not about to lose their composure if Anthony remains in Denver or ends up elsewhere.  And Knicks fans shouldn't either.