NBA Trade Rumors: Is Carmelo Anthony Sticking with the New York Knicks?
The New York Knicks have been the epitome of turmoil for the past couple of seasons. Even though there was a lot of promise this season after the team got Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher on board, everything came down just to something already expected – failure. And while there is a lot to look forward to next season, the future of this franchise still lies on whether or not Carmelo Anthony will stick with the team next season.
Trade Rumors
During a guest appearance on Brown and Scoop podcast, veteran NBA writer Peter Vecsey revealed that Anthony might eventually decide to demand for a trade if the front office, led by Jackson, decides to hire interim coach Kurt Rambis as permanent head coach. According to Vecsey, hiring Rambis is just short of saying that they don't want Anthony anymore. He added that the veteran forward likes Rambis, but that's not enough to view him as the one who could steer the Knicks to a championship.
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Melo Quells Rumors
However, right after the rumor of him expected to demand a trade, Anthony quashed them with a statement to Yahoo Finance. In a report from ESPN, he said that he's "absolutely" playing for the Knicks next season. It was his prompt answer when asked during the TechCrunch Disrupt Summit if he still will be in New York.
While it seems logical for him to stick with the franchise that gave him big money after leaving Denver, Anthony will have to think his priorities over. He already is 31 years old and hasn't really tasted that much playoff success, much more an NBA finals stint. His dream of winning a championship with the current Knicks setup is a longshot, to say the least.
With a five-year extension that's still in its second year of consummation, it's hard to imagine any team trading for him in exchange for valuable assets, although his skill set is obviously a rarity in the league. For now, it looks like he's staying with Jackson and New York, but the question is for how long will that be?
