Keidel: Melo Is Deserving Of All Blame He Gets For Knicks' Follies
By Jason Keidel
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So Boomer and Carton say that it's time for Carmelo Anthony to split, that the experiment has bombed.
They are correct.
Some of us predicted this the day he was traded to the Knicks.
And it's not because he told a fan to ask for a refund. And it's not because he blew off a charity event on Wednesday night. But it's what those actions represent. Melo was never about winning, or the team ethic. He'd rather star on a bad club than be a role player on a champion.
Who would agree to pay the over $75 million he's still owed? And whom would they trade back to the Knicks of similar value? And name one team close to a title that's thinking "Gee, all we need is Carmelo Anthony and we're golden!"
Of course, he can stay as long as he wishes because he was granted a no-trade clause. Few of us can figure why Phil Jackson was so compelled to include one. It's just one in a litany of moves from this doomed franchise, which hasn't won a title since 1973.
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There was a bump in popularity when Kristaps Porzingis flowered from the hardwood. But now the Knicks have returned to the mean. They are a hopeless franchise that plays on priceless real estate.
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The Knicks will always be worth a mint because they can charge Porsche prices for a Prius on the court. For whatever reason, people will blow copious cash to watch them lose and call it entertainment.
Every local team has to prove its wares before it can drain your wallet. The Nets can't fill Barclays. The Mets were begging fans to visit Citi Field before last year's stunning run to the World Series. And the Jets still can't sell all their season ticket plans.
But the Knicks will sell out the Garden because of the name on the marquee, not the names on the jerseys. They draft bad players, hire bad coaches, and sign former coaches to $60 million contracts to run the franchise.
The Knicks are 25-37. They've lost 15 of their last 18. Only the Nets and 76ers have fewer wins in the Eastern Conference. And they have no first-round draft pick, presumably to pair with Porzingis. High-end free agents are treating MSG like the toxic wasteland it really is, and their best player is on the wrong side of 30.
Frankly, none of this is Camelo Anthony's fault. He was a pure scorer looking to get paid with little interest in the incidentals of winning. So this idea that he has to leave is lovely but probably won't play out. He's happy.
Why not? It's not hard playing for the Knicks if titles aren't your thing.
Follow Jason on Twitter at @JasonKeidel