NFL Tickets
When Carmelo Anthony re-signed with the New York Knicks this offseason, after multiple weeks of speculation and various wooing sessions from other interested teams, one of the first comments he made was, “I am a New York Knick at heart.”
It made sense for him to say such a thing. He had essentially forced his former team, the Denver Nuggets, to deal him to New York back in 2011. He became the franchise cornerstone, playing in Madison Square Garden, the Mecca of basketball, on a nightly basis. Despite hearing offers from teams like the Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls, in the long run, it made sense why Anthony decided to stay with the Knicks.
We’re not even halfway through the ensuing season, and there appear to be questions as to whether or not Anthony truly is a “Knick at heart.”
New York is a hot mess, currently limping along to a miserable 4-20 record. There are reports of infighting between the players, rumors of distaste for the triangle offense new coach Derek Fisher is trying to install. Team president Phil Jackson claimed his club had a loser’s mentality, something easily seen by any fans who can stomach watching them.
As if all of this weren’t enough, rumors are now surfacing regarding Anthony and the no-trade clause in his contract. The New York Post is claiming Anthony would consider waiving said clause, just 24 games into the five-year deal. Anthony, though, was quick to deny the report, saying it would be weak to give up so early and ask out. One thing we all know when it comes to rumors, though, is where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
It’s a whole lot of he said, she said right now regarding the situation, nothing terribly surprising when you consider it’s the highest-profile star in the biggest sports market in the country. Anthony’s deal isn’t exactly what you’d call easy to move, so a literal trade probably isn’t going to come by without difficulty.
Of course, it doesn’t make this any less intriguing. You can note the issues which would come with moving his contract, as well as his denial of the Post’s report. But, here’s the real question: should Anthony waive his no-trade clause?
A player can waive a no-trade clause all he wants, it doesn’t guarantee a trade. At the end of the day, that’s not what this is about. The issue is merely whether or not he actually drops his clause. It’d be a shot across the bow of the franchise, the one he claimed was the only place he could see himself playing. It would take away all the happiness and allegiance he noted about this team when signing his contract, then tossing it into the fire before the ink dried.
Anthony dropping his no-trade clause would essentially say, “I’m not asking to be traded, but I’m opening the door if you can find me a way out.” For a franchise looking as fragile as ever, something like this would definitely resonate.
Again, though, is this something Anthony should consider?
He can say all he wants about the rumors being untrue, how he has no interest in waiving the clause. He may actually even be telling the truth. However, let’s remember where we are in this still-young season.
The Knicks still have 58 games left to play. It may be easy to say you’re here for the long run in December. But, is there any evidence to prove a big turnaround is coming for this team? All signs point to the fact things are going to get much worse before they get better in New York. Anthony has to know this. How easy will it be to reject these rumors in a month? How about two months from now?
On top of all this, reports are saying teammates are unhappy with Anthony. They say he shoots too much, that his interest in passing is next to nothing. Does he plan on changing because of it? He’s always been trigger happy when it comes to offense. What will angry teammates on an awful team do to sway this?
To be fair, nobody expected much of the Knicks this season. The team is once again preparing to make a splash in the upcoming offseason, hoping to cut money and go shopping for big-name free agents. If Anthony is truly invested in New York, he’d slog his way through this dumpster fire of a season and wait to see what improvements the team can make.
However, is it worth waiting it out? Remember, the Knicks have made big promises about potential free agents in the past. LeBron James was supposed to sign with them in the 2010 offseason. Last year, rumors surfaced regarding the team setting their sights on Kyrie Irving. Neither scenario played out. At the end of the day, we all know promising something and actually coming through with it are two very different things.
What happens if Anthony suffers through this mess, only to watch as his team settles on B-list players after failing to net a big catch? What if his reward for playing good soldier through a miserable year is just a tiny improvement the following season?
As we all know, this scenario could play out whether Anthony waives his no-trade clause or not. Just because a player says, “you can trade me if you’d like,” doesn’t mean the wish is always granted.
However, as mentioned, Anthony dropping his clause would send a big message to the team. It would say, “I’m unhappy here, either fix it or find me somewhere else to play.” Do you think the Knicks take bigger swings at free agency next summer if they know their best player has opened the door to leaving if things stay status quo? He’s forced his way out of a team once before, who says he can’t do it again?
It’s all a tricky situation; one more problem for the Knicks on a list which is rapidly growing in this young season. Maybe Anthony really hasn’t considered it. Maybe he’s well-aware of how this all plays out this year and trusts the front office to get him some help in the offseason.
However, I’m willing to bet this isn’t the last time this issue comes up. Watch what happens if the Knicks keep sinking this season. See if Anthony is still pledging his allegiance to New York as the loss column continues to grow.
This is only the beginning of Anthony’s patience being tested this year. He may not be thinking about dropping his clause now, but you can bet the thought will cross his mind often if things somehow get worse.
Casey Drottar is a Featured Columnist for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on Twitter @CDrottar19 or “Like” him on Facebook
Share 
