Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: Why a Move to New York Makes More Sense
Last week, NBA trade rumors heated up.
Word was out that the New York Knicks had been in talks with the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves regarding a deal that ultimately would land hotshot forward Carmelo Anthony in New York.
Anthony would become a Knick, Eddy Curry and Anthony Randolph would go to Minnesota and Denver would receive Corey Brewer and Wilson Chandler, plus a first-round pick.
This morning, there was a report that the Nuggets had also engaged the Los Angeles Lakers in trade talks. Were that deal to happen, the Lakers would most definitely give up their young center Andrew Bynum.
Still, Anthony's preference is to play in New York.
However, just how would Anthony fare on a talent-rich team like the Los Angeles Lakers?
He'd have a great set of players to work with in New York, but can't you just imagine a one-two scoring punch of Kobe and Carmelo?
That being said, let's break down every scenario of both possible trades—starting lineup, coach, you name it!
Los Angeles Center: Pau Gasol
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With Bynum on his way out of Los Angeles if the Anthony deal goes through, Pau Gasol becomes the Lakers' new center.
This season, at power forward, he has put up amazing numbers by averaging 18.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. He is also an amazing shot blocker.
Still, there remains cause for concern. With multi-threat player Lamar Odom re-entering the starting lineup upon Bynum's potential departure and Anthony coming in, there is bound to be controversy when it comes to sharing the ball.
The presence of Gasol, Odom, Anthony and star guard Kobe Bryant in the starting lineup can only mean one thing—somebody's stats are going to suffer.
Once that happens, someone is bound to become unhappy and team chemistry will take a dive.
Whether it's Gasol's stats or Odom's remains to be seen, but it's something Lakers' GM Mitch Kupchak must consider.
New York Center: Amar'e Stoudemire
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Amar'e Stoudemire is not a traditional center. The natural power forward was inserted into that spot in the lineup as he is the only true "big man" on the Knicks.
Still, he has been extremely effective.
In his first season in New York, Stoudemire has averaged an incredible 26.3 PPG and about nine rebounds. On top of that, he has been a vocal advocate of Anthony playing in New York.
In fact, after he signed his contract with the Knicks last summer, he said that he would "recruit" Anthony to come join him.
Unlike the aging Lakers, the Knicks are a young, up-and-coming team with a lot of potential.
They share the ball well, aren't jealous of each other and play together as a TEAM.
Were Anthony to join Stoudemire on the court at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks would be a force to be reckoned with in the postseason.
Los Angeles Forward: Lamar Odom
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In Los Angeles, Anthony would be joined at the forward position by Lamar Odom.
Besides being married to one of the Kardashian sisters, Odom is an effective power forward who can hurt the opposition on many levels—he can rebound, block shots and has a deadly three-point shot.
Still, as fantasy owners know, one is never quite sure what to expect from Odom.
Some nights he'll flourish on offense and other nights he will dominate on defense. Other times, he'll put up simply average numbers.
Were Anthony to don the purple and gold uniform, chances are that Odom would be relegated to an enforcer role. Basically, far less opportunities to score and more concentration on boxing out and rebounding the ball.
I don't know the Lakers' opinion on the matter, but Odom is simply too valuable on offense to just push aside for the sake of acquiring Carmelo Anthony.
New York Forward: Danilo Gallinari
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The Knicks' answer at power forward is an interesting one.
Danilo Gallinari is not a solid defender by any means. He has the size for it at 6'10", but he is never one to crash the boards and attack the rim on defense.
Still, the man is a solid three-point shooter and a valuable asset in Coach Mike D'Antoni's system.
Were Anthony to become a member of this young New York squad, I wouldn't be surprised if he shifted to power forward and let Gallinari utilize his long-range shooting talent at small forward.
As was mentioned before, the Knicks share the ball well. Thus, there's no reason to believe that Gallo's numbers would suffer were Anthony to come to town.
Los Angeles Guards: Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher
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As far as playing together goes, the chemistry between Kobe Bryant and Derek Fisher could not be more perfect. These two have won five NBA Championships together and they aren't ready to stop by any means.
All NBA fans know that Bryant is one of the best in the league (if not THE best). When people talk about the second-coming of Michael Jordan, Bryant's name is the first to come up. Simply put, the man is amazing.
For a long time, people have said that the one reason Bryant isn't MJ 2.0 is because he doesn't have a true go-to guy at small forward. Think about it—Jordan and Scottie Pippen were an effective team, so imagine how the Lakers would play if Bryant was paired with Anthony!
Still, in order for those tandems to be effective, a team needs an effective point guard.
In all honesty, as great and clutch as Fisher has been for the Lakers, he isn't the quarterback of the offense that every point guard should be.
More often than not, he passes the ball to Bryant and then Bryant just drives to the basket himself.
Without a point guard who shares the ball well, don't expect Mike and Scottie to experience a second coming.
New York Guards: Landry Fields and Raymond Felton
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After drowning in a defense-oriented Charlotte Bobcats system for five seasons, Raymond Felton has emerged as a fan favorite in New York. He has been a perfect fit in D'Antoni's system, averaging 17 points and about nine assists per game!
His counterpart at guard, rookie Landry Fields, has proven to be the steal of the 2010 NBA Draft. For a guard, he plays amazing defense (especially under the basket) and has a deadly shot from beyond the arc. He knows his place and isn't upset that he isn't a top shooter on the team.
Going back to Felton, he is the epitome of what a top point guard should be. He drives to the basket, passes the ball effectively and plays defense (averaging nearly two steals per game).
If Anthony were to come to New York, he would not have to worry about his offensive numbers taking a hit. Felton is a team player who reads opposing defenses well.
With another talented shooter on the team, there's no doubt that he'll find a way to get Anthony open.
Los Angeles Coach: Phil Jackson
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On paper, who wouldn't want to play for Phil Jackson?
The man is a coaching legend—he has won 11 NBA championships (six with the Chicago Bulls, five with the Lakers) and he knows how to utilize the talents of all players on the squad.
His Triangle Offense, to this day, continues to be a difficult puzzle for opposing teams to solve. As each season goes by, the scheme involving a dominant center and two effective shooters gets harder and harder to defend. If Carmelo Anthony came to Los Angeles, the Lakers would have that second effective shooter.
Still, one must remember that the execution of a trade hinges on Anthony signing a contract extension. There haven't been any reports of this out of Los Angeles, but chances are Anthony won't sign it.
Why? Because of Jackson.
All signs point to this season being Jackson's last. I don't know about Anthony, but if I were a big-name free agent looking to win, I wouldn't want to play for an unknown head coach.
The no-Phil Jackson experiment lasted one season in LA and it ended with the Lakers missing the playoffs.
That doesn't sound like a risk worth taking.
New York Coach: Mike D'Antoni
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In terms of coaching strategy, Mike D'Antoni's is the polar opposite of Phil Jackson's.
He employs a run and gun system, affectionately known as "Seven Seconds or Less," and his teams aren't known for playing lockdown defense.
This system is perfect for Carmelo Anthony.
Before moving to New York, Coach D was the head coach of the Phoenix Suns. His system there was built around an effective point guard, dominant big man and an outside shooter who could also crash the boards and play defense.
The first time around, that trifecta consisted of Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion. This time, D'Antoni has Stoudemire and Raymond Felton. All that's missing is the final piece!
There's no doubt that Carmelo Anthony can step into a Shawn Marion-like role. He's a phenomenal shooter and plays effective defense.
If that's not a perfect fit for D'Antoni's system, the Knicks should just stop their pursuit right now.
Western Home Court: Staples Center, Los Angeles
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Watching a Lakers game on TV is pretty much the same thing as watching a movie. When the game isn't happening, chances are the camera will focus on the plethora of celebrities in attendance at the game.
Call me crazy, but I doubt Anthony would find this appealing. He already would have to compete with Kobe for attention, so why throw Jack Nicholson (pictured at left) into that competitive mix?
As great as the Lakers fans are, they're just too Hollywood.
Despite Anthony's ego, it's doubtful that he would want to become just another face in the crowd in Southern California.
Eastern Home Court: Madison Square Garden, New York City
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There are so many good things one could say about Madison Square Garden, but this is a slideshow being read by people who have places to be. Thus, I'll keep it short with a description courtesy of Knicks legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier.
Madison Square Garden is the greatest arena in the world, filled by the greatest fans in the world, located in the greatest city in the world.
The fact is, Carmelo Anthony's ultimate dream is to play in New York. He was born there, it's a city he loves and the Knicks employ a system in which he would thrive. Plus, he'd get to see Spike Lee (pictured at left) during almost every home game. That sounds like a pretty sweet deal.
Trade talks are heating up between the Nuggets, Lakers and Knicks. Hopefully, when the dust settles, all sides will have made the sensible decision in sending Anthony to the land of the orange and blue.
