Carmelo Anthony, the Future Knick

Carmelo Anthony has made it clear that he no longer wishes to play for the Denver Nuggets. He is an unrestricted free agent next year, so the Nuggets are attempting to work together a trade in order to acquire something valuable for him before he departs. The official NBA trade deadline is on February 24th, meaning time is running out for all teams involved. It would make absolutely no sense, however, for the Knicks to aggressively pursue Anthony. Unless they can acquire him cheaply, they should steer clear of the Denver Nuggets' high asking price. The best move would be to wait until the upcoming offseason to sign him in order to keep their team intact.

Supposedly, the Knicks recently offered a package that included Wilson Chandler, Landry Fields, and a first round draft pick. Somehow, this wasn't good enough for the Nuggets. Danilo Gallinari's name has also been tossed around the rumor mill. All three of these players are young, promising talents. They have yet to reach their prime and would be vital role players on a Knick team with Carmelo Anthony.

During this whole soap opera, it has become quite obvious that Carmelo has the itch to play under the bright lights of New York City in Madison Square Garden. "That's like the ultimate dream at the end of the day," Anthony said, referring to New York, in an interview with ESPN. "Who wouldn't want to go back home to play?” He was born in Brooklyn and won an NCAA championship at Syracuse University. He is destined to play here.

Carmelo is an elite player and most likely a future Hall of Famer. Adding him to an already strong Knicks core would make them an instant championship contender. It is a potentially disastrous risk to take. What if he is traded before the deadline and signs an extension with someone else? All signs are pointing to take this risk. Nuggets are asking for the world and more for their prized franchise player. Knicks need to call their bluff. Carmelo would bring a winning tradition back to the Garden. Knicks haven't won a championship in nearly 40 years, but Melo will soon have something to say about that.