Now that everyone at Seventh Avenue and 33rd Street can breathe a collective sigh of relief knowing Carmelo Anthony is remaining with the Knicks, the realization quickly will set in that there still is much work remaining to make sure this isn’t just another feel-good moment that fizzles out like day-old soda.
Anthony’s decision to take the Knicks money ensures the franchise of retaining one of the league’s top five scorers. Now team president Phil Jackson has to fiddle with the rest of the roster to make the Knicks become the kind of contender worth giving one player close to, if not, a max contract worth $129 million.
Let’s face it. The Knicks can pretend to celebrate the way fans celebrated in Cleveland. But the signing of Anthony to a big deal is more like financing a car at the end of a lease. We’re familiar with the ride. It’s only the payments that have been extended.
The hard part is just starting. Jackson has to find Anthony a proven sidekick, someone that can be his co-star the way Amare Stoudemire was supposed to be. Finding that guy won’t be easy, at least not as easy as it has been for LeBron James.
Even with all the feel-good sentimentality surrounding LeBron’s return home to Cleveland, he’s not signing with the Cavaliers if they don’t have Kyrie Irving, Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett. Who is going to help Anthony?
Jackson, who already has talked about the chemistry problems the Knicks endured last season, probably has figured out J.R. Smith isn’t the solution. Andrea Bargnani was a disappointment, even when he was healthy. Judging by rumors about potential trades involving Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert, they won’t be here for the long-term. That leaves Anthony depending on Tim Hardaway Jr. and the newly acquired Jose Calderon for help as of now.
Yes, the Knicks already are better with the addition of Calderon at point guard and second-round pick Cleanthony Early could return great value with the 34th selection in the draft. But as things stand now the Knicks aren’t exactly knocking on the door of a championship.
They’re not better than the Bulls, not better than the Pacers, and probably not better than the Wizards or even the Nets, if Deron Williams and Brook Lopez are healthy. And now Cleveland has you know who.
Just how competitive the Knicks will be in 2014-15 is about as uncertain as the Yankees starting pitching. Right now, Anthony has lots of money, but little help to win the piece of jewelry he covets most.
Sure, it’s all good today, but isn’t it always when the Knicks acquire high-priced talent? From Stephon Marbury to Stoudemire and even with Anthony’s arrival via trade in 2011, the Knicks have celebrated the acquisition of a star only to see reality fall way short of expectations. There’s no certainty this will be any different.
Jackson likely told Anthony of his plans to rebuild the Knicks. Yet, Anthony was looking for his best option, which is why he waited for LeBron to make his decision and for the Bulls to make their best offer. In the end, signing with the Knicks was basically his only option given the money he would have left on the table going to Chicago.
Anthony likely will say he agonized over his decision, but felt his heart was in New York. Truth is the game of musical chairs ended with only one seat left. Good for Anthony and good for the Knicks. But Jackson still needs to get his best player some help the way Pippen helped Jordan and Shaq helped Kobe.
LeBron had Dwyane Wade in Miami and now he has Irving in Cleveland. Anthony’s sidekick isn’t in a Knicks uniform yet. Until he is, Anthony isn’t much better off than he was last season, only richer.