It’s done. It’s finally happened. The New York Knicks finally have their superstar. Their marquee player. Their franchise savior. And, apparently, a detrimental blow that actually sets them back? Well, if you listen to all the media reports, that is.
For some reason, people keep arguing that the Knicks gave up too much to get Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups. They gave up too much young talent to be relevant anytime soon. But, lets really break it down.
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| AP Photo/Frank Franklin II |
One piece the Knicks gave up was Raymond Felton. For the first half of the year, he was their floor general. The young, underrated point seemed to click with Amar’e Stoudemire, though not seamlessly. They got off to a rocky start, but once the season was in full-effect, so were they. They ran the pick-and-roll beautifully. He and Amar’e seemed to have chemistry. As of the trade, the 26 year-old Felton, who’s in his 6th year in the league, was average 17 ppg and 9 apg in what was unfolding into a career year. Arguably, this was the Knicks’ biggest loss.
But, in place of Felton, the Knicks receive Chauncey Billups. You remember him, don’t you? Well, if you don’t, here’s a refresher. He’s a five time all-star. He’s a former champion. He’s a former Finals MVP. He’s nicknamed “Mr. Big Shot.” Yeah, he’s pretty good. But somehow, this has all been forgotten. He may be an aging star (he’s in his 14th year in the league), but doesn’t veteran knowledge and experience account for anything? He's appeared in 139 career postseason games. Compare that to just four for Felton. If the Knicks want to make a run into the playoffs (assuming they get there), they’ll need this type of veteran leadership. Billups has been there. He’s done that. Felton, well, hasn’t.
Edge, Billups.
Another key component the Knicks gave up was Danilo Gallinari. In his 3rd year in the league, Gallinari was showing glimpses of why he went 6th overall in the 2008 draft. Not only was he knocking down the three, he was beginning to take it to the rim for some posterizing dunks, showing tiny glimpses of athleticism nobody really knew he possessed. Again, he was another big loss.
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| AP Photo/Kathy Willens |
But what do they get in place of Gallinari? Carmelo Anthony: a perennial all-star and franchise player. It’s hard to believe all the knocks Melo has been taking. Perhaps it’s because he played in Denver, a smaller market that really gets no national love. Or maybe it’s the fact that he came into the league alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the media darlings and faces of the league. Either way, Carmelo hasn’t, and still isn’t, getting the love he deserves.
Carmelo is a proven winner. After winning a national championship at Syracuse in ’03, he came into the league and averaged 21 ppg and 6 rpg. That was the same as LBJ, that year’s rookie of the year. Melo also took the Nuggets from a laughingstock to a playoff contender in just his rookie year. The year before the nuggets drafted Melo, they were 17-65. In Melo’s rookie year, he led them to a 43-39 record, qualifying as the 8th seed in the Western Conference. He has been in the playoffs each year since. And how has he performed in the playoffs in his career? He has eight-career playoff double-doubles and nine career 30-point games in the postseason.
Melo is also a prolific scorer. This season, he is averaging 25 ppg, which is tied for 5th in the league with Kobe Bryant. He is averaging close to 25 ppg throughout his career. He can post up inside. He can score off the drive. He can hit the three with efficiency. There’s not one true weak spot in his offensive repertoire.
Edge, Carmelo.
The other members the Knicks lost were Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov, two inconsistent players that didn’t bring much upside to the Knicks. Let’s face it, with Felton, Gallinari, Chandler, and Mozgov the Knicks had a record of 28-26. That’s barely .500. So, did the Knicks really give up anything but mediocrity?
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| AP Photo/Kathy Willens |
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