The New York Knicks insist they’re still doing everything they can to turn the season around but if you ask me, the tank is on. The shocking news was released yesterday that the Knicks traded JR Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a three-team trade involving the Oklahoma City Thunder whom received Dion Waiters. What did the Knicks get? Some non-guaranteed contract players and a future second round pick, clearly nothing that will help them now but they added tons of money to the cap for upcoming free agency. In addition to all this, they’re now encouraging Carmelo Anthony to sit out and rest his knee.
This season is beyond repair. The Knicks are currently 5-32 and after the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Cavaliers yesterday, Knicks now have the worst record in the league.
Carmelo Anthony’s knee has been the topic of conversation and will likely require surgery. Anthony has been resistant to sitting out games but now the team is publicly letting it known that they want him to sit out and rest his knee according Yahoo Sports NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
Anthony is in the first year of a five-year, $123 million deal. The Knicks have a lot of money tied up in him and a lot of incentive to want him to be healthy for the long haul. To keep playing in what is already a lost season would be incredibly shortsighted.