Just 24 hours after LeBron James announced that he was returning home, Carmelo Anthony made his big announcement. Anthony decided to stay put and remain a New York Knick, despite a number of other options on the table – options that some would argue were better for Carmelo and his future. That isn’t the case, though, and these five reasons for picking New York show why Melo made the right decision:
1. The Money
Fans and media can easily say an athlete should turn down $124 million, but how often have they ever been offered that much money? Even though Melo is taking less money than the full max deal, he’s still getting paid more than any other team would’ve been able to offer him. Carmelo is signing with the team that can provide his family with the most financial security, and hoping that everything else will work out.
2. Phil Jackson’s Aura
Phil Jackson won’t be on the sidelines coaching, but he’ll be overseeing the entire Knicks organization and has his own protégé on the bench in Derek Fisher. The presence of Jackson most likely played a huge role in Anthony’s decision.
Aside from his already acclaimed success in the NBA, Jackson has made some big moves in his short time in New York. Upgrading at the point guard position with Jose Calderon, clearing cap space, and injecting some youth into an aging roster. It’s clear that Jackson has legitimate title aspirations for the Knicks, and Anthony should be happy to be a part of that.
3. No Guarantee of Success Elsewhere
It’s true that the Bulls and Rockets are more talented than the Knicks at this moment in time, and those two teams were plausible destinations for Anthony. However, even with Anthony on either roster, there was no guarantee that those two teams would be true contenders.
Anthony would’ve fit perfectly with the Bulls from an offensive standpoint, but the rest of the team (except for the question mark that is Derrick Rose) struggles on that end of the floor. Without any real help, the Bulls wouldn’t have been very different from the 2012-2013 Knicks that lost to the Pacers in the conference semifinals.
The Rockets were a very competitive regular-season team last year, but fell apart in the playoffs. Even with Anthony on the team, the West is so loaded that the Rockets wouldn’t have had a real edge – even if they’d managed to keep Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik. The Knicks have the opportunity to build around Melo now, and are looking to go after more quality free agents next summer. If nothing else, they’ll be as good as the Bulls and Rockets - and potentially better.
4. No More Powerhouse In Miami
LeBron’s decision to return to Cleveland reshaped the look of the Eastern Conference drastically. The Heat are no longer the team to beat in the East, and the conference is now wide open. Anthony doesn’t need a “Big Three” to be competitive in the conference like he would have if LeBron had stayed put.
With Melo and the rest of the roster in place, the Knicks are in the middle of the pack and just need a few more adjustments to take the leap. Now, that leap won’t need to be as drastic without the Heat’s “Big Three”.
5. Staying Home
The marriage between Anthony and New York isn’t the same as the bond between LeBron and Cleveland, but it’s close enough. Carmelo grew up in Baltimore, but was actually born in Brooklyn. He’s been a member of the Knicks since 2011, and has become the face of the franchise – something the Knicks haven’t had since Patrick Ewing in the 90s.
For better or worse, Carmelo Anthony has become this team’s true leader. He chose to continue to build a legacy and bring try to bring a championship to a team that hasn’t had one since 1973. With better management and a brighter future, the Knicks can be a real contender in a season or two - and when they are, Melo will be glad he decided to stick around.
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