The Knicks are at a crossroads this offseason, and how they decide to move forward will have long-lasting (and far-reaching) consequences. With Carmelo Anthony's free agency decision looming and a number of holes on the roster, Team President Phil Jackson and new Head Coach Derek Fisher have their work cut out for them.
Carmelo's Future
As much as Knicks fans (and management) want Melo to opt in, it's time to face the music: barring an improbable last-second change of heart, he's going to opt out and become a free agent.
That doesn't completely rule out the possibility of him staying in New York...but it makes it much, much less likely. Anthony is now on the wrong side of 30, and he doesn't have time to wait around for a rebuilding project. Melo wants a ring, and he doesn't want to earn it five years down the road.
If the Knicks want to retain Anthony, they need to act quickly and decisively. Acquiring a marquee player like Kevin Love wouldn't guarantee that Melo stays, but it would give him a lot more to consider when the offers from Houston, Chicago, and other interested parties start rolling in.
If the Knicks can't upgrade their roster before teams start pitching to Anthony, and it looks like all they can offer is another year of J.R. Smith, Andrea Bargnani and the rapidly-decomposing Amar'e Stoudemire...don't be surprised if Melo heads for the door. While his departure isn't a done deal, the Knicks need to act urgently if they want their biggest star to stick around.
Kevin Love
There isn't a lot of concrete information available about the Knicks' interest in Kevin Love. Since Phil Jackson took over, the flow of information out of the Knicks front office has slowed dramatically (not a surprise, given the disarray it was in before he arrived). What we do know, though, is what Love thinks about the Knicks now that Jackson is in charge.
"...you know it’s very intriguing," Love told ESPN's SportsNation. "The Knicks are a place where I think anybody would like to go.”
There's one major problem: Love can't become a free agent until the summer of 2015. He clearly wants out of Minnesota, and there are plenty of teams willing to trade for him now...which means that if the Knicks want him, they'll need to conjure up some trade chips that would convince the Timberwolves to part with their All-Star forward.
There's Tyson Chandler's expiring contract, Iman Shumpert (who looked increasingly lost and disheartened as the 2013 season went on) and promising young point guard Tim Hardaway Jr. Even if the Knicks packaged all three together (unlikely, given Minnesota's wealth of point guards), would it be enough to get a deal done?
The Knicks like Love. Love likes the Knicks. If a trade is going to happen, though, it'll require some creative thinking and master salesmanship. For now, file this rumor under "theoretically possible, but very unlikely".
Other Targets
Patty Mills, fresh off a huge performance in San Antonio's decisive Game 5 Finals win, is a target, according to the New York Post. Mills would effectively replace Raymond Felton, who will be out the door as soon as Phil Jackson can find someone willing to take him off New York's hands.
Houston's Chandler Parsons has also caught the Knicks' eye. The problem, at the moment, is that Houston wants to include Parsons and Jeremy Lin in a sign & trade deal for Carmelo Anthony...who the Knicks aren't willing to entertain offers for. Until there's movement on the Carmelo front, any moves for Parsons (or Jeremy Lin, who the Knicks wouldn't mind having back) are on hold.
Look for the list of targets to grow significantly as we get closer to the beginning of free agency on July 1st.
