Carmelo Anthony may have already played his final game as a member of the Knicks. Or, he could decide to play in the season finale Wednesday at the Garden, a game the Knicks may have to lose to secure better lottery odds. Or, Anthony may not get traded in the offseason, and restart this saga all over again in October.
As always, there’s a lot to unpack with Anthony, and we assume there’ll be more clarity after his exit interview this week with Phil Jackson. As Anthony said, “All the chips will be on the table.”
But assuming Anthony is traded over the summer and Wednesday will be his final game as a member of this organization, how will he be remembered? What is his New York legacy?
We try to break it down in eight defining moments, chronologically ordered through the good and the bad:
FEB. 22, 2011: Melo is traded to the Knicks
Following one of the most complicated negotiations in history, Anthony arrives to a team that deals most of its assets to acquire him – giving the Knicks their biggest star since Patrick Ewing. Owner James Dolan swoops in to finish the deal, undermining GM Donnie Walsh and going against the wishes of coach Mike D’Antoni. The idea is that the Knicks could wait and sign Anthony as a free agent without having to give up any pieces, but Dolan doesn’t want to risk losing him to the Nets.
2011-12 SEASON: Melo outlives Linsanity and wins the power struggle
The expected chemistry with Amar’e Stoudemire never forms, but then Anthony goes down with an injury and a new Garden hero emerges – Jeremy Lin. Playing the preferred style of D’Antoni (and not Anthony’s), the Knicks are the biggest story in the sports world for a few weeks because of their undrafted rookie sensation from Harvard. It ultimately slows down, D’Antoni is out and Lin is not re-signed. “Everyone wasn’t a fan of (Lin) being the new star,” Stoudemire says. “So he didn’t stay long.”
2012-13 SEASON: Melo becomes MVP candidate
The first full regular season under coach Mike Woodson is the highlight of Anthony’s Knicks career. With a roster and playing style built around the forward’s strengths, he averages 28.7 points and finishes third in the MVP voting. He even tallies a first-place vote that precludes LeBron James from becoming the league’s first unanimous MVP. The Knicks also win 54 games – their highest total in 16 years – winning the division and finishing second in the conference.
MAY 18, 2013: Melo is blocked by Roy Hibbert
The Knicks win a playoff series for the first time in 13 years by besting the Celtics in the first round, but these Knicks are expected to get to the conference finals and challenge Miami. That aspiration ends when Anthony drives baseline against the Pacers and is rejected on his dunk attempt by Roy Hibbert. At the time of Hibbert’s emphatic block, the Knicks are up by 2 with five minutes remaining in Game 6. The Pacers immediately go on a 9-0 run and clinch the series, ending Melo’s best chance with the Knicks.
JAN. 24, 2014: Melo sets scoring record
In the midst of a disappointing season and Phil Jackson arriving soon, Anthony drops 62 points in a victory over the Bobcats on a strong 23-for-35 shooting performance. He breaks Bernard King’s single-game team record by two points – and Kobe Bryant’s MSG record by a point – securing both marks on a driving bank shot. Anthony is loved that night and receives a standing ovation. He never again scores more than 45 points with the Knicks.
JULY 13, 2014: Melo re-signs on a megadeal
Melo flirts with other franchises – namely the Bulls and Lakers – but decides to dine and sign with Jackson on a 5-year, $124 million megadeal. Attached to it is a no-trade clause, making Anthony the most powerful person in the organization after James Dolan. Suffice to say neither the Knicks nor Anthony live up to their part of the bargain.
FEB. 20, 2015: Melo undergoes knee surgery
He delays the procedure on his patella tendon to participate in the All-Star game, and then is ruled out for the remainder of the season as the Knicks stumble to the worst record in the history of the franchise. Since the surgery, he averages about 22.2 points per game – well below his career average.
2016-17 SEASON: Feuding with Phil
The relationship is already teetering in the wrong direction before Jackson criticizes Anthony for the forward’s ball-stopping tendencies, leading to more problems and two face-to-face meetings about the issues. Eventually, Anthony breaks down and acknowledges he will consider waiving his no-trade clause. The Knicks are unable to work out a deal before the February trade deadline, but it is always more likely that Anthony will be relocated over the summer.
