By: Cale Michael
The New York Knicks are having another disappointing year sitting just a few spots above the bottom of the league and at 13th place in the Eastern Conference. After a rather nice start in contrast to last season the Knicks had a sharp drop off that most people saw coming before it actually happened. Now there are talks of all sorts of rumors flying around as most people toss this season into the growing garbage heap. Could this off season be the one to turn things around for the struggling Knicks and Carmelo Anthony?
Zen Master Phil Jackson
Everyone made such a big deal about Phil Jackson coming to the Knicks, claiming that he was going to bring the franchise back to its’ once held greatness. So far he has succeeded in one thing and that is bringing in some talent. The overall season outcomes have been disappointing but the pieces are there to make something more. The next step for him to make is to stop beating around the bush and take on the duties of his current position, and the added responsibility of being Head Coach. Sure he said he wasn’t going to take the position again when he first arrived, but what he is doing now is just basically the same thing minus the hands-on ability during games. The only thing he would have to change from his normal routine would be more active at practices and travel with the team, because let’s be honest, a half time head coach sounds like an awful idea.
Developing Talent
New York’s best days with Carmelo Anthony may have been in years past with Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, but it doesn’t have to be that way for long. With the addition of Kristaps Porzingis and the other young talent they have on the roster the future could be bright for them. If they continue to add talented players via the draft or free agency they have a great chance of becoming a competitive club sooner rather than later. Porzingis has proven that he can play at a relatively high level and Carmelo is always ready to compete. These two could really turn some heads as a duo but to be truly successful they will need to bring in more top tier talent. While Kevin Durant might be a long shot for the Knicks they could easily turn their sites on secondary prizes like DeMar DeRozen or Al Horford. A pick up like that could tip things into the Knicks’ favor.
Moving On From Carmelo Anthony
Despite the points mentioned in the previous topic there may be one quicker way to speed up this rebuilding process. Carmelo Anthony is still drawing interest from many teams who need an elite scorer on their wing such as the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls. This is a blessing in disguise for the struggling Knicks as they would lose their leading scorer and loyal franchise player, but in return they could net a handful of young talent or picks that would solidify the rebuilding state of the team. They could give the staff a set goal to bring out the best in their young players. Anthony isn’t getting any younger and getting something significant in return for him as the years go on will get increasingly difficult. Of course the final call will come from Carmelo Anthony himself seeing as he has the rare trade kicker attached to his gigantic contract.
It appears that the Knicks are at a crossroads of where they want to be and hopefully they can shake the stigma that they will make the wrong call for the long run.
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