It's Time for the Knicks to Trade Carmelo Anthony

Last year the Knicks had their best season in years. They won 54 games and won a playoff series for the first time in forever. The Knicks were on up and many people including myself had the Knicks finishing 5^th in the Eastern Conference, but the early season injury to Tyson Chandler changed everything. The team couldn’t win, was in a hole too steep to climb out of, and it’s time to rebuild. If the Knicks don’t do anything and just resign Carmelo to the max deal, the team will be worse next year. If Carmelo signs the max contract that’s the same contract Chris Paul signed, Melo would take up to 40% of the Knicks cap space. The Knicks cap will still be in disarray. Following the 2015 season, the Knicks are supposed to sign another player to a max deal. If Carmelo gets the max, the Knicks won’t have the cap to sign Kevin Love unless he’s going to take a pay cut. I don’t see that happening. So what is the solution for the Knicks? They have to trade Carmelo Anthony, and anything they have of value which isn’t a lot. The Knicks need first round picks desperately. They are without first rounders in the 2014 and 2016 draft. The Knicks won’t get a lot back if they trade Carmelo because he’s a free agent at years end. But if they can get a draft pick and a young player they should definitely pull the trigger on the trade. The Knicks shouldn’t re-sign Carmelo, but they can’t let him walk for nothing. Iman Shumpert has been rumored to be in trades already this year, but those rumors have gone away. The Knicks have to look into trading Tyson Chandler as well. A contending team would love to have Chandler’s defense and leadership on their team. Then in 2015 you have an empty cap. Only one player is under contract for that year (JR Smith) by then hopefully you have some young guys playing well and draft picks.  Every team that is successful is built through the draft. The Spurs Duncan, Parker, Ganobili and Leonard. The Pacers: Hibbert, George, Stephenson and Granger. You need to build from the draft to win especially with the new CBA. The way the Heat were built won’t happen again because of the CBA. Now this is the best plan for the Knicks, but it won’t happen. Why? Because the Knicks have a clueless owner in Dolan. If James Dolan would let his GM do his job the Knicks could be a title contender in 4 years.

Trade possibilities for Melo

Houston Rockets

Rockets get: Melo

Knicks get: Omer Asik, Jeremy Lin and Terrence Jones or first round pick

This trade makes sense for both sides. The Rockets get the third star that they need and become an instant title contender. The Knicks get two players whose contracts expire after next year. Asik and Lin and are good players and if the Knicks are smart they could trade these two next year and get even more assets. Terrence Jones has been very well this year; he’s averaging 11.6 points, 7.7 rebounds and has a PER of 18.85. Because of these numbers the Rockets might not want to trade him and they aren’t trading Chandler Parsons, so what young piece will the Knicks get from the Rockets? They might have to settle for a first round draft pick which isn’t the best thing since the Rockets are going to be good for a long time.

Chicago Bulls

Bulls get: Melo and Raymond Felton

Knicks get: Carlos Boozer, Kirk Hinrich, Mike James and Picks

                When the season ends the Bulls need to amnesty Boozer and get in the Carmelo Anthony Sweepstakes. But if you’re the Bulls, why wait until the offseason get ahead start? Get Melo now so he can adjust to Thibs coaching style and get use to the team. Also, if they trade for Melo they can offer him the most money when free agency comes around. The Knicks get two expiring contracts in Hinrich and James. Neither are making much money and wouldn’t be coming back to the Knicks in 2014 anyway. The real key for the Knicks in this trade would be the draft picks. The Bulls have a ton of picks in the next two draft and this is something the Knicks can take advantage of. The Knicks should get two first rounders this year since the Bulls have 3 picks and a second round pick for next year. All of a sudden the Knicks have some picks and future looks a lot brighter.

                Golden State Warriors

                Warriors get: Melo and Iman Shumpert

                Knicks get: David Lee and Harrison Barnes

Now this all depends if Golden State wants to trade David Lee. Lee is having a great season, 19, 10 and 19.95. But are the Warriors good enough to win a title with Lee? I don’t believe so, but if you swap him with Melo now you’re talking. This Warrior team would be a match-up nightmare for any team. For the Knicks you get David Lee back but he has three years left on his current contract. If I’m the Knicks I’d take him and try to trade him next year or in 2015 for more assets. Harrison Barnes, is the key for the Knicks in this trade. Barnes had a good rookie season, but exploded in the playoffs averaging 16.6 points in 12 postseason games. If the Knicks can get Barnes and have him play over 30 minutes they would have done well in this trade.

                Phoenix Suns

                Suns get: Melo

                Knicks get: Channing Frye, Emeka Okafor and lots of picks

Rumor has it that the Suns are willing to trade picks for a star player. The Suns have 6 picks in the next 2 years. Melo is a star and could make the Suns a real threat out west. For the Knicks they get Okafor’s huge expiring contract, Channing Frye contract expires after next year and he could be used as a trade assist. But the main thing here is the picks. The Knicks could get 2 picks in this year’s draft and the Lakers pick next year that the Suns have.

LA teams

                The Lakers don’t have anything for the Knicks to take in a trade so forget about that. The Clippers shouldn’t trade for Melo because they would probably have to trade Blake Griffin. They don’t need to trade a future hall of famer. Yes Griffin is on pace to be in the hall of fame look at the numbers. If Melo is traded it won’t be to LA.