Maybe Carmelo Anthony just needs a Point Guard.
Who was the last legitimate floor general Carmelo has played with? Chauncey Billups? That’s hardly the equivalent of a Rajon Rondo in the present-day.
We’re just not sure what Carmelo Anthony would look like with a true PG to facilitate his game in the right manner, and we may never know what that looks like in New York.
Over the course of the week, it’s been reported that the Knicks are re-engaging the Nuggets in trade discussions revolving around Kenneth Faried and Iman Shumpert. This, essentially, would place Faried in the starting PF role, and slide Carmelo back to SF. It would also use Shumpert, maybe the team’s most valuable trade piece at the moment, for a rebounder the Knicks may not really need.
Jeremy Tyler has proven himself to be sturdy, grabbing 18 percent of available rebounds, which is the highest rate on the team outside of Cole Aldrich, who is used sparingly.
This would essentially be some sort of panic move, because James Dolan sees his ship sinking and thinks it would be in GM Steve Mills’ best interest to make some sort of acquisition for a young, athletic player for fans to get excited about. With Andrea Bargnani, Amar’e Stoudemire and Kenyon Martin all playing the PF position, a young body might be what they need. The problem is, you’re not replacing any of those guys; you’re just clogging the rotation.
On the other hand, it doesn’t seem as if the Knicks have a better trade option at this point.
Point Guard would be the ideal area of acquisition for the team, but the Knicks may have learned their lesson from the Carmelo Anthony deal to simply wait for free agency to add the player they so desperately desire. It wouldn’t be a bad move either, with money coming off the books in consecutive years via the termination of Bargnani, Chandler and Stoudemire’s deals.
What’s the only team with a semi-expendable PG worth giving up half of your team, and your only first-round pick in the next four years for? Could it be the Thunder?
It’s unlikely a championship contender like the Thunder would ever want to give up Russell Westbrook, but it seems like the only option (albeit very slim) for the Knicks to acquire a PG at this point. They are in search of a bigman to ease the load of Kendrick Perkins, and the Knicks can offer Tyson Chandler. It wouldn’t be the greatest deal in the world for the Thunder, but maybe they get back a first round pick, Iman Shumpert and Ray Felton. OK, maybe not that last trade piece, as it’s been pretty documented GMs around the league are going to take a pass on him.
One thing’s certain; many players are passing him and going to the bucket and scoring. And, the Knicks are losing.
They need a point guard. Looks like you might have to wait until next year, Knicks fans.
—Kenny Ducey
