Though the Knicks have won their last two games and have begun to resemble last year’s squad with the hot three-point shooting, you have to take into account that it was against the shorthanded Brooklyn Nets and the Orlando Magic. The Knicks aren’t quite out of the woods yet and their production will weigh heavily on Carmelo Anthony’s upcoming decision. With the Knicks having such a terrible start, rumors began that he would bolt, leaving the team and possibly head to the Los Angeles Lakers. As those reports picked up speed so did suspicions that the Knicks would trade the superstar in order to not be left empty-handed. Well it turns out both rumors are false… for now.
From Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com:
If the Knicks do not turn around their season whenTyson Chandler returns from injury, you can expect the Anthony issue to become a monster heading toward the February trade deadline.
The Knicks, sources say, have zero intention of trading Anthony no matter what he says about next summer. Not only did owner Jim Dolan personally seal the deal to bring Anthony to New York, but the front office realizes it has one of the most talented players in the league and won’t be able to get fair value in return.
It’s certain that Anthony will opt-out of his contract at the end of the season but after that his decision is unknown and it’s far too early to tell. While the Knicks can guarantee Anthony an extra $30 million that doesn’t guarantee he will stay. Anthony has already earned over $135 million in salary not including endorsements; at this point winning may become more important than extra money. He may go the Dwight Howard route and choose a better situation rather than more money. At this point everything is just speculation but as far as trades go, that’s not in the Knicks cards.
