Carmelo Anthony: Knicks fail to maximize value in Thunder deal

The Knicks failed by not bringing enough back in return for Carmelo Anthony.

The tumultuous marriage between Carmelo Anthony and the New York Knicks has finally come to an end. After failing to make the postseason for four consecutive seasons the Knicks have cleaned house and officially made a move that gives the perception that President Steve Mills, General Manager Scott Perry and the front office are ready to rebuild. The New York Knicks agreed to trade ten-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 2nd round pick (via Chicago Bulls).

This move helps the Knicks get rid of a potential media circus with each and everyday Anthony continued to be a Knick. The trade also allows the Knicks to have a lot of financial flexibility in a strong free agency class in 2018 by taking on the short-term contracts that Kanter and McDermott have. Despite some of the immediate positives it highlights the that the negative aspect of the trade greatly outweighs the positive.

The Knicks had three potential suitors aside from Oklahoma City looking for Anthony’s services after he decided to waive his no-trade clause for the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Portland Trailblazers. With each team looking to immediately dethrone the Golden State Warriors there’s no reason why the Knicks couldn’t have taken advantage of their leverage and pulled off a trade for Carmelo Anthony that resulted in the Knicks coming away with at least one 1st round pick, whether 2018 or a future 1st rounder.

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Granted, the Cavaliers did not want to part with their 2018 lottery pick acquired from the Boston Celtics (via Brooklyn Nets) due to the uncertainty of LeBron James re-signing with the team after the 2017-2018 season but the Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trailblazers each have 1st round picks within the next two drafts that could have been thrown in a deal for the future Hall of Famer. Not to mention, as a pawn the Knicks could have freed themselves of even more cap space by seeing which team would be willing to take on Joakim Noah’s atrocious contract by ultimately landing the key piece, Carmelo Anthony.

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Hopefully, for the Knicks, the Bulls don’t have a good season and that second-round pick can land within the first thirty-five picks. With Kristaps Porzingis, 22, Tim Hardaway Jr., 25, Willy Hernangomez, 23, and Frank Ntilikina, 18, the future is very bright for New York. Although it will be a rocky year, the young core can go out and play with no pressure, showcase their talent and ultimately prove to a prized free agent in the heralded 2018 class that it will be worth going to New York City in hopes of bringing the loyal crowd of Knicks fans at Madison Square Garden to its feet for playoff basketball.

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