IkeDoIt wrote:The Knicks gave up FAR too much for Melo, especially when they could've just signed him the in the offseason.
I think the uncertainty about the new CBA played a part in that deal going down. In June 2010, before Amar'e was signed (and before the Big 3 joined Miami), Melo was already quoted as having interest in the Knicks... ironically, he mentioned 2 guys who would be gone to allow his arrival:
http://nypost.com/2010/06/13/nuggets-anthony-melo-about-free-agency-in-2011/Anthony said. “It’s what they have right now, the pieces on the team right now. I like Lee. I love [Danilo] Gallinari. And David is a 20-and-10 guy every game. So they have some pieces there.”
Even after signing Amar'e to the 6 year max contract, the Knicks were still in a decent place to sign Anthony outright in 2011. Sure, the Nuggets had the extension option and could offer the most money, but if he really wanted out (and it's now clear he did), then the Knicks had as good a chance as anyone. They had ~60M in salary commitments in 2010, but almost 20M of that was in expiring contracts (the bulk being Eddy Curry). The cap was 58.044
I've seen several messages on this board about "the greatest executive" Donnie Walsh being "run out of town" by Dolan. Certainly Walsh has had a lot of success, but he did give Amar'e that albatross deal when writers like Bill Simmons were making fun of the contract from the day it was first signed:
http://valleyofthesuns.com/2010/07/06/amare-stoudemire-and-the-knicks-risk-vs-reward/What’s protocol if you’re friends with a Knick fan whose team got Amare uninsured for 100 mill? Congratulate or console them?
Most ironic, they probably could've received very good value for Stoudemire at the 2010/2011 trading deadline, given that he was in the discussion for league MVP at that point and would go on to play 78 games that year. His play didn't really drop off until after he was forced to share the ball alongside Anthony for the last ~30 games. As a newly signed free agent, Stoudemire would have been eligible for trade on Dec 15th, giving the Knicks two full months to work something out.
Aside from Stoudemire, NY had less than 25M in salary commitments (and 5 of those had 1 year left). So on the one hand, there was great flexibility to build around Carmelo and whatever they got back for Amar'e... but on the other hand -- at the time everyone was saying Anthony wanted to go to a winner (ha) -- the concern was would Anthony sign with NY if the cupboard was looking extremely bare?
Hindsight is always 20:20, but dumping Amar'e seems like it would have been a no brainer, even without the benefit of foresight
Well, he probably suggested something along these lines, but Mitch, fortunately for the Lakers, is too smart to do it. Maybe if his contract was a bit smaller, he would though...
