New York Knicks: Time To Shut Carmelo Anthony Down For Season
By Greg Chin
The New York Knicks finally embraced the tank this week, dealing away two of their key rotation players in Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith for non-guaranteed contracts, in an attempt to lower their payroll. At 5-35 and firmly rooted at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, it seems like the right decision.
So, in what is essentially a lost season, the Knicks are focusing on developing their young talent, and have written off the rest of the season. If that’s the case, then an important question needs to be answered: Should Carmelo Anthony sit out the rest of the season?
Earlier on in the season, Anthony was forced to miss a few games due to a sore knee. The All-Star said that the sore knee wouldn’t get worse if he kept playing on it, but head coach Derek Fisher admitted that the franchise player could be shut down for the rest of the season. Soreness in the knee isn’t a career-threatening injury, but it could be a precursor for something more sinister if left unchecked.
This isn’t the first time Melo has complained about his knee soreness. According to Fisher, Melo has been dealing with soreness in his knee since the second game of the season, and has missed the last six games due to it. In the midst of a lost season, why risk the health of your superstar and franchise player? It’s clear that the team’s interest is to tank for the best odds at the first overall pick, is winning a few games important enough to jeopardize Anthony’s health?
Understandably, this isn’t a decision for Fisher to make. It’s a collaborative effort between player, team, team doctors, and coach. If Anthony feels he’s healthy enough to play, he’ll play.
And with the All-Star Game looming in February, you can be sure that he’s going to make sure he’s healthy enough for the game. It helps that All-Star Weekend will be in New York City – with the way things are going at Madison Square Garden, this could be Carmelo Anthony’s biggest game this season, and his chance to play under the spotlight with all the cameras on him.
Playing in his 11th season in the league and at 30 years of age, Melo is no spring chicken. Just look at some of his peers from the 2003 Draft class: Dwyane Wade struggles with chronic knee issues, Chris Bosh has had to deal with a various number of ailments, while LeBron James is slated to miss two weeks due to a back injury. Aside from a few knocks and minor injuries, Melo has managed to stay relatively healthy during his career, but must face the fact that the toll of playing nearly 30,000 minutes is catching up on him.
From the Knicks’ standpoint, it would make sense to err on the side of caution when it comes to the health of their best player. Melo signed a five-year, $124 million contract during the offseason, and the Knicks will want to make sure they can get their full money’s worth with Melo. The worst case scenario here is if he blows his knee out or tears his ACL, and is forced to miss another season for rehab and recovery. A team built around a 33-year old Melo with a reconstructed ACL doesn’t exactly scream NBA title contender.
It’s no secret: the Knicks are bad this season, historically bad. Even with Melo, the team went 5-25. Let’s not pretend as though Melo playing out the season will result in the Knicks regaining some dignity. It’s time to call it a season with Melo, wrap him in bubble wrap, and keep his fresh for next season. Time to embrace the tank.