Carmelo Anthony Trade Rumors: Will His Image Ever Recover If Deal Falls Through?
As I've mentioned time and time again, every day creates a new Carmelo Anthony story involving yet another team. With the Nets gone, the Knicks were the only interested team, so the door was open for a third team to take that spot.
What I did not expect was that the team would be the Lakers, who seem to be in talks about an Anthony-Bynum trade, with various pieces to follow. Whether or not this trade makes sense, or whether or not this trade has any chance of happening, is a matter for discussion elsewhere. Instead, let's look at Carmelo's reputation.
Once he is finally with another team, or if a deal falls through and remains with Denver, will his reputation be able to recover, especially after a season this tumultuous?
Yes 5: He Has The Right to Leave
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If Carmelo Anthony is not happy with where he is and knows he can play better elsewhere, then why fight it? He doesn't have the loyalty clause others may have. If loyalty was an issue, his loyalty would be to the New York area, where he played college basketball (Syracuse) and grew up (Brooklyn). If he wants to play there, he has the right to join the Knicks.
No 5: Selfishness
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No matter how you slice it, if you want to move from one team to another for whatever reason, you're going to seem selfish. Carmelo Anthony noted very clearly that he was going to play elsewhere in 2012 and made it seem like he didn't care about Denver or the fans there. How do the fans in his next destination know that he won't do the same thing there?
Yes 4: Denver Never Brought Him a Title
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The Denver Nuggets, despite having Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and others, never won a NBA title. For that matter, they never made the NBA finals. Like any NBA player, Anthony wants a championship, and if a couple division titles are the closest they've gotten to one, he'll try his talents elsewhere.
No 4: Denver Has Continued to Play Well
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Despite the distractions of the trade rumors and the revival of the Spurs and Mavericks in the West, the Nuggets have continued to hold on. They're 30-22 when they could have just as easily collapsed under all the problems they've had this season. Had these trade rumors not been floating around all season, they could just as easily have been in the mix with the Lakers and Mavericks.
Yes 3: He Had No Plans to Stay
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Carmelo Anthony did not beat around the bush with Denver as other superstars may have done. Much like Steve Carell did with fans of The Office, Carmelo came out and said, plain and simple, he would be playing elsewhere next year.
He gave the Nuggets more than enough time to trade him and get some good pieces in return. He helped prevent a catastrophic meltdown for the Nuggets next season had he waited until free agency to let them know of his decision.
No 3: He Became a Distraction
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While telling Denver well in advance he was planning on leaving was the right move, the trade rumors became a major distraction for the team, whether or not they'll admit to it. This isn't entirely Carmelo's fault, as the team could have helped keep trade possibilities under wraps.
Instead, many casual readers can tell you who's been in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, yet no one knows the Nuggets' record or where they are in the standings (30-22, 7th conference, 3rd in Northwest division).
Yes 2: He Understands Image Issues
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Carmelo Anthony is not a stupid guy and he knows that making the wrong move, or the right move in the worst possible way, can ruin a reputation overnight. He has said many times that he doesn't want to be like LeBron, and doesn't want to repeat his mistakes. He's walking a tightrope by saying that, but so far he's still on it.
No 2: He Took Multiple Teams For a Ride
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Carmelo may say that he doesn't want to be like LeBron, but by not committing to a team, he's getting other teams' hopes up.
The Nets went back and forth with the Nuggets for months, and eventually were so frustrated that the owner ended talks about it. When the Knicks were originally put into the trade rumors, they didn't have a small forward. Now, Landry Fields has emerged as the rookie surprise of the year. Other teams that were in the works as well have probably learned to ignore anything Carmelo-related by now.
Yes 1: He's Not LeBron
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LeBron James set the bar so high for messing with the mindset of basketball fans that, luckily for Carmelo, he's not going to come close to it. He could go on talk shows wearing various team uniforms if he wanted to and no one would give it a second thought. Now that we know he's leaving, whatever happens next doesn't contain the bitterness and disappointment "The Decision" did.
No 1. He's Not LeBron
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Despite everything that happened, LeBron James is still a two-time MVP winner, people still buy his jerseys and watch him play. Yes, most of them boo, but it's directed at him.
Carmelo is not the star LeBron is. If he moves to a team with an established star, or becomes a villain in his own right, then he won't get boos, but will instead fall into the role-player category. The Manu Ginobilis and Derek Fishers of the world aren't the ones that get the sponsorship deals. It's a decent living, but that's not what Carmelo wants.
Conclusion
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In end, I think Carmelo's image will be fine. People are annoyed at him right now, but once he's on a new team and the trade rumors are done, he can concentrate on basketball and people will again gradually remember him as a great player.
Shaq was able to handle moving to and from the Lakers, and Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen's images remain strong after moving to Boston. As long as Carmelo Anthony handles the situation properly from here on out, and as long as he handles himself in public a certain way, then his image can recover.
If he stays with Denver even after all these trade rumors, then it will take longer for his image to recover, since he clearly showed his desire to leave. Fans are forgiving if a player is actually willing to reach out though, and if Anthony does, then he'll be fine.
