Derek Fisher is promising Carmelo Anthony that the New York Knicks will improve if he signs with them in free agency. The Knicks are limited with the moves they can make, but Fisher is confident that with Anthony, anything is possible. However, with the max contract on the table, the only way those improvements are happening is if New York gets to work on putting together trades.
On Tuesday, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported that Phil Jackson contacted the Philadelphia 76ers about potential trades involving Amar'e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani. Both big men are on expiring contracts and the 76ers have the most cap space of any team in the league. However, Philadelphia is not satisfied with receiving just one of those players, they want a young asset to go along with them, something the Knicks are uncertain about.
According to ESPNNewYork.com, the Knicks are extremely hesitant to deal Iman Shumpert in any trade that would get Stoudemire's or Bargnani's contracts off the books. Shumpert is viewed as one of the better young assets on the Knicks roster as he slowly develops into a key member of the team. While he holds a lot of value in trade scenarios, he is also valuable to the Knicks.
Shumpert's name has come up multiple times in trade talks dating back to last season and yet has managed to survive. Back in February, he came extremely close to being sent to the Los Angeles Clippers for Darren Collison, Matt Barnes and Reggie Bullock. The Knicks did not pull the trigger. Now they are dangling him once again and time will tell if they follow through or now. ESPN goes on to report that if Jackson does not want to deal Shumpert, they may offer up Tim Hardaway Jr instead which would likely anger most Knicks fans. Hardaway is the other remaining young asset for the Knicks that showed signs of true promise last season.
If the Knicks want Anthony on the roster, something has to give. No team will take Stoudemire and his inflated contract on his own. He is not the player he once way when he first signed that deal. His stats have dropped along with his playing time and he spends a good portion of the season injured. The Knicks have to decide who is more valuable, Shumpert or Hardaway.