The NY Knicks are reportedly looking at trades to build a better team around Carmelo Anthony and names like Andrea Bargnani, Iman Shumpert and Amar'e Stoudemire could be traded to get things done, as reports say New York could look at a deal with the Philadelphia Sixers since they have the cap space to make a deal work.
Carmelo Anthony has been the main target all along and now things are at the last minute and he is looking at all his options as he decides what to do. Anthony has been the top free agent target for teams since everyone realized LeBron would be going to Miami or Cleveland and now he has narrowed things to basically the Chicago Bulls or Knicks with the Lakers also in the mix but not a favorite anymore despite their great pitch.
The Knicks have already worked out one trade that sent Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks and that could be the first of many moves that the team tries to make this offseason. Jackson may now try and trade Stoudemire for more cap relief, while Iman Shumpert could get lumped in so that a team actually takes the deal for all of Amar'e's money on his contract.
The Knicks missed the playoffs last season and now are trying to build things back and Anthony is the centerpiece to all of that. There were rumors about a LeBron James team up but that never came close to happening and now Anthony has the biggest decision of his career. The Knicks are in a tough spot, but they have a division that is still winnable and keeping Anthony would make the team a very viable option for other free agents if they get a deal done. Phil Jackson brought in Derek Fisher and now he can try to look at some other free agent options once the dominoes start to fall behind Melo and LeBron.
The Knicks took a major step back this season and really their chances of making the playoffs died in the first three weeks of the season, as they opened up 3-13. The Knicks were kicking themselves after watching the way the Atlanta Hawks matched up with the Pacers, as that series went seven games and could have been winnable even for a team as bad as they were. Last year the team won 54 games and the division and this season they won just 37 and did not make the playoffs and that regression could keep Anthony away. Anthony and the Knicks have some major choices to make and while NY has hopes of 2015 and Kevin Love, it is a long way off when it comes to basketball and Anthony may not be patient enough to remain this time.
