The NY Knicks have Carmelo Anthony back in the fold and now Phil Jackson has time to build the team and this season he could look at a trade with JR Smith or Iman Shumpert, while Amar'e Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani and Shane Larkin also could be targets to move in 2014 or at the trading deadline.
The Knicks signed Carmelo Anthony to a five year deal and now Melo, Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher are all in for the same amount of time and that continuity is massive for the franchise as they try to build things back this season. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Knicks will consider more trades this summer and this season and Smith could be the first to go. The report says that Tim Hardaway is off limits for trades, but that the Knicks would be willing to trade Shumpert to get somebody to take Smith or Stoudemire.
Stoudemire could get traded but his contract likely will hold things up, while ESPN.com reports that the Knicks are planning to move at least one guard, between Larkin, Shumpert or Smith. The team is loaded up at the position and they want more balance on the roster. The Knicks are looking to bounce back this season and they have the chance to do it with Melo in the fold.
The Knicks started the season 3-13 and then missed the playoffs and they ranked 20th in scoring and eighth in points allowed per game and now they are trying to build up a winner. The Knicks waived Shannon Brown and that was an expected move, as the team now has enough guards to deal with and that is one reason why Larkin or Smith could get traded. Brown averaged two points in 10 games last season and he was another connection to Jackson with the Lakers and he also played for the summer league team.
Melo signed a five year deal with the team worth over $120 million and while it's still a ton of money, he left some on the table to allow Jackson some flexibility as he builds the team. The NY Post writes that the Knicks are hoping to compete a bit this season and make the playoffs, but with Melo in the fold with Derek Fisher on five year deals, Jackson has the chance to build things from the ground up. The team hopes to clear some future space and they are targeting Marc Gasol as their main free agent option next summer along with Kevin Love if he makes it onto the market and isn't traded.
While Knicks fans are some of the most impatient and ill-informed in sports, this would be one time when patience is the right move. Phil has five years to build and now fans should be looking at that period as the timeline for the team to be contending and that is better than most franchises can say. Brooklyn is trending down and the Knicks are trending up and if they stick to the plan, they could be competing for a championship within a year or two.
