Suddenly, the New York Knicks are winning. Getting Carmelo Anthony back from knee soreness along with a few motivated players from the D-League and suddenly the Knicks are stringing together wins, coming off a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Most players on the roster will admit that rebuilding is a slow process, but it is happening. However, despite the wins, Phil Jackson is still seeking one more big move before the trade deadline.
Anthony has confidence in the Knicks and the long-term plan set in place by Jackson. With trades already the headline of the team, more are likely to come and the franchise star believes that everything is starting to fall into place for New York as a bright future is the hope.
"The time is now," Anthony said, via ESPNNewYork.com. "The time is now to kind of start building for the future. I don't think we can wait. Not just for my sake, just in general, I think the time is now. The window is now. I think we've got to take advantage of that."
The last remaining trades New York will likely seek will involve either Jose Calderon or Pablo Prigioni. Several big teams are in need of playoff help after injuries. The Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Bobcats are looking to make moves to save the season. Jackson will likely give up either player willingly especially after the rise of Langston Galloway. The Knicks will also aim to buyout the contract of either Amar'e Stoudemire or Andrea Bargnani. According to the New York Post, Jackson will well aware that both players do not have trade markets and it is the only move to make.
After the league trade deadline, free agency plans will start to form. According to the New York Daily News, the Knicks have a real chance at landing Kevin Love in free agency as every other team in the league prepares their sales pitch to the MVP. The Knicks will have the salary cap space and Anthony doing the heavy recruiting. However, if New York is going to get Durant, they cannot break the bank the summer in order to be able to give up a max contract once again.
The Knicks will chase March Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge and Goran Dragic in free agency. All three players will want big money so the Knicks must plan accordingly.
