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Carmelo Anthony Looking Forward To Olympics After New York Knicks Struggles

By Kenneth Teape

Mar 28, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Knicks 99-91. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 28, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Knicks 99-91. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports /
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Carmelo Anthony is looking forward to a summer of winning at the Olympics after another season filled with losses for the New York Knicks.

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Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks are close to finishing what has turned into yet another lost season. The Knicks were officially eliminated from playoff contention over the weekend, making it three consecutive seasons that Anthony will be missing the postseason after qualifying the first 10 seasons of his career. With another season of more losing than winning being done, Anthony is looking forward to this summer when the Olympics are back.

Losing as begun taking a toll on the 31-year old Anthony, who heard his name pop up in trade rumors around the NBA Trade Deadline. Those rumors were rather baseless, as Anthony controls his destiny with the no-trade clause in his contract. There is a chance that he could waive that clause this summer if he is not pleased with the direction the roster is going to.

Before any potential moves happen, Anthony will enjoy his time with Team USA at the Olympics in Rio and do something he didn’t do enough of with the Knicks this season; win games.

“From a morale standpoint as a player, if you’ve been through the things I’ve been through the past couple of years you want to feel what that success feels like. You want that success,” Anthony told reporters in Dallas on Tuesday. “So the Olympics for me is great timing — especially coming off this season and injuries, and mentally it’s good for me to get out there and feel what that feels like again.”

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There are some people that believe the indecision from his friends LeBron James and Chris Paul to join would cause Anthony to waver, but that does not seem to be the case. James is undecided if he will participate this summer, while Paul just recently pulled his name out of the running on Tuesday according to Sports Illustrated.

“If we were all going to do it, I would’ve loved for (Paul) to be a part of that, especially for this one last time,” Anthony said of the Clippers point guard. “If he’s not feeling it, his body’s not right and not healthy, then no need for him [to play].”

Anthony has become an integral part of Team USA over the years as the explosive sixth man. He is in a role that suits him, as he is asked to score and keep scoring. It is a role he has thrived in as he has won multiple Gold Medals; if Team USA is victorious this summer, Anthony will become the first three-time Gold Medal winner. James would join him if he decides to play.

While the reasoning for winning will disappoint Knicks fans as well, as they are craving a winner, it is a positive that Anthony is committing this early in the process. It is a sign that his surgically repaired knee, which was giving him some problems earlier in the season, is getting stronger.

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Also, each time Anthony has played with Team USA his NBA team has fared very well that season. He made his only Conference Finals after his first Gold Medal, and with the second he led the Knicks to their first playoff series in 13 years. The Knicks can only hope that trend will continue for the 2016-17 season.

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