The New York Knicks are set up well after signing Carmelo Anthony and Phil Jackson still has moves he can make, including trades with players like Andrea Bargnani, Iman Shumpert, Amar'e Stoudemire and JR Smith, as that could clear the way for future free agents, including names like Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge and Rajon Rondo.
According to ESPN.com, the Knicks considered trading Andrea Bargnani, Iman Shumpert, Amar'e Stoudemire and JR Smith this summer to help clear space for Melo and other players and now some of those deals could still go down. Smith said on TV last week that he wouldn't be surprised if he got traded and a team like the Sixers or Lakers could be an option for the star. Stoudemire and Shumpert could also get moved, as Jackson likely would have to package the young star to get someone to take that salary.
The Knicks made their big move to keep Carmelo Anthony and while they are not a championship team this year, Melo coming back gives Jackson the chance to build something and the next couple years should be very interesting. According to ESPN.com, the Knicks and Sixers were talking a trade earlier in the offseason involving Stoudemire, but the team wanted Shumpert in that deal as a reason to take on the huge salary of the Knicks forward.
The Knicks signed back Carmelo Anthony this offseason and that was a major move for the franchise and now that he is locked in, Phil Jackson can do his thing and build the team. Jackson is in on a five year deal along with Derek Fisher and while the team may not win this season, they could have a bright future ahead. Honestly, all Jackson needs to do is get the team in championship position over the next five years and he would have done more than anyone else in the last decade and now Anthony is at the center of it all.
The NY Post reports that the team wants to try and clear space to sign free agents in 2015 and names like Marc Gasol and Kevin Love are targets along with LaMarcus Aldridge if he hits the market. The team won just 37 games last season, but they are on the way up now and Jackson has already cleared space by moving Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton and that was a great move, as the team now has Shane Larkin and Jose Calderon along with Melo.
Last season the Knicks took a big step back after winning over 50 games and the division the previous year, but all that is in the past now and Melo is the centerpiece of the franchise once again. The Houston Rockets and LA Lakers made strong pushes for Melo and so did the Chicago Bulls and now he is back in NY and those teams were left scrambling a bit to sign players. The Knicks should be a solid playoff contender as long as they don't start 3-13 again and now the power has shifted to the central division, as LeBron and Pau Gasol are there along with the Indiana Pacers.