Has Jalen Brunson surpassed Carmelo Anthony?

uncleduck13 · Post #1 » by **uncleduck13** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:28 pm

On the Knicks hierarchy? And how about as a player, peak for peak? I say yes, and resoundingly... actually I thought he did last year tbh. Brunson has won more series during this playoff run than Melo did during his entire tenure as a Knick. A Finals appearance probably puts him on the Knicks Mt.Rushmore. There won’t be a debate whether he deserves his number retired at MSG. It’s going up in the rafters! Dude is extremely elite at basketball. Does all the things that contribute to winning culture. For sure on a HOF trajectory and his story is one that will be well documented when it’s all said and done. Melo was a great individual talent and I hate to crap on him, but it’s crazy how easily Brunson has surpassed him in such little time. Really disappointing tenure in NY.

LascelleL · Post #2 » by **LascelleL** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:30 pm

Yes. Jalen Brunson actually wins games and isnt a black hole on offense.

Wolfgang630 · Post #3 » by **Wolfgang630** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:32 pm

Yeah he’s way better than CarMElo ever was.

Post #4 » by **Capn'O** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:33 pm

Last season, without question. Probably King too.

He's knocking on Ewing's door now. I don't think it's a knock on either Ewing, King, or Melo to say this either. Brunson has been incredible.

UcanUwill · Post #5 » by **UcanUwill** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:33 pm

Yes, I think he did. But I am not a Knicks fan, so who I am to judge. I do however feel NY likes Brunson more, Carmelo was local guy, but he was star from day one in the NBA, Brunson is kinda blue collar became superstar against all odds guy that NY I imagine likes.

Chokic · Post #6 » by **Chokic** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:35 pm

Carmelo is the better individual talent but yes Brunson is the better basketball player. Its hard to win w/ Carmelo but you can plug Brunson on any team and they will instantly be better.

Post #7 » by **tsherkin** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:36 pm

uncleduck13 wrote: Really disappointing tenure in NY.

Was it? Was there for like 6.25 seasons. Smoked by the Celtics a year after their second Finals appearance in 2011 (the trade season) while Ray Allen went off like a bomb. Lost to the title Heat in the first round a year after. Second round against the Pacers in 2013, with Amare unable to start games. 2014 was the Bargnani Debacle, bunch of injuries, no health for Chandler, etc. TC was gone back to Dallas in 2015, they still had Bargs, Melo played half a season. Didn't have a ton to work with in 2016. Old Calderon, Aaron Afflalo, rookie KP. Year after, injuries, lack of depth, etc. What remained of Derrick Rose.

And that was the end of that chapter. Loads and loads of injuries, and Melo was never any kind of significant playmaker, nor a particularly resilient playoff scorer most of the time. It went about as expected, with extra boooooo for terrible first-round matchups and health.

Post #8 » by **Capn'O** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:36 pm

UcanUwill wrote:Yes, I think he did. But I am not a Knicks fan, so who I am to judge. I do however feel NY likes Brunson more, Carmelo was local guy, but he was star from day one in the NBA, Brunson is kinda blue collar became superstar against all odds guy that NY I imagine likes.

It feels that way but it's actually the opposite. He's actually more like Kobe or Steph in that his dad played in the league. For a contending Knicks team nonetheless, even though he was a scrub. Rick made millions in his career. Jalen grew up basketball royalty, getting to pal around with the late 90s/early 2000s Knicks teams as a toddler.

Carmelo came from less.

JustBuzzin · Post #9 » by **JustBuzzin** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:38 pm

This Carmelo hype is weird.

It seems like he got more overrated after he retired. People in the Nat'l media talk about him like he was a legend. He's getting Nat'l commercials.

I'm like Melo didn't even have a better career than Dwight Howard. Dwight actually won a championship as a role player. Melo couldn't even get a ring near the end of his career.

What did he actually accomplish in NY to be in the conversation with Brunson?

Post #10 » by **tsherkin** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:43 pm

JustBuzzin wrote:This Carmelo hype is weird.

It seems like he got more overrated after he retired. People in the Nat'l media talk about him like he was a legend. He's getting Nat'l commercials.

He was overhyped his entire career because people like scoring volume and playground aesthetic. This isn't new since retirement.

I'm like Melo didn't even have a better career than Dwight Howard. Dwight actually won a championship as a role player. Melo couldn't even get a ring near the end of his career.

Dwight was a considerably better player.

What did he actually accomplish in NY to be in the conversation with Brunson?

They made the second round for the first time in almost a decade and a half, and had 3 straight postseason appearances for the first time since Ewing left.

MrBigShot · Post #11 » by **MrBigShot** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:45 pm

Melo was more talented and should've had a better career. Brunson plays in a way that translates to winning games; Melo was a perennial 1st round exit player until playing with Chauncey Billups.

And Brunson has the heart of a lion. That's the main difference between the two.

bronxknicksfan1 · Post #12 » by **bronxknicksfan1** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:48 pm

Brunson already surpassed Melo as a Knick after last playoffs. He catapulted himself even further when he signed his extension a year early so that the front office could build a team around him. As much as I love Melo, he would’ve never did that.

Post #13 » by **Capn'O** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:49 pm

tsherkin wrote:
uncleduck13 wrote: Really disappointing tenure in NY.

Was it? Was there for like 6.25 seasons. Smoked by the Celtics a year after their second Finals appearance in 2011 (the trade season) while Ray Allen went off like a bomb. Lost to the title Heat in the first round a year after. Second round against the Pacers in 2013, with Amare unable to start games. 2014 was the Bargnani Debacle, bunch of injuries, no health for Chandler, etc. TC was gone back to Dallas in 2015, they still had Bargs, Melo played half a season. Didn't have a ton to work with in 2016. Old Calderon, Aaron Afflalo, rookie KP. Year after, injuries, lack of depth, etc. What remained of Derrick Rose.

And that was the end of that chapter. Loads and loads of injuries, and Melo was never any kind of significant playmaker, nor a particularly resilient playoff scorer most of the time. It went about as expected, with extra boooooo for terrible first-round matchups and health.

Right - he didn't meet expectations but expectations were too high. Melo didn't play with a team built for Melo, though Chandler was a pretty good front court complement. Amar'e REALLY wasn't. He accomplished about what I expected from those teams. Then his guards were like Ray Felton, Shumpert, and JR Smith.

meekrab · Post #14 » by **meekrab** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:51 pm

Melo is one of the most monumentally overrated players in recent NBA history.

Frank Dux · Post #15 » by **Frank Dux** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:53 pm

Carmelo has pretty much no legacy.

Of course Brunson has already surpassed him.

Johnny Bball · Post #16 » by **Johnny Bball** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:54 pm

Really odd comparison.

Boneman2 · Post #17 » by **Boneman2** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:57 pm

Denver ‘Melo clears any version of Brunson.

uncleduck13 · Post #18 » by **uncleduck13** » Sat May 17, 2025 4:58 pm

UcanUwill wrote:Yes, I think he did. But I am not a Knicks fan, so who I am to judge. I do however feel NY likes Brunson more, Carmelo was local guy, but he was star from day one in the NBA, Brunson is kinda blue collar became superstar against all odds guy that NY I imagine likes.

This is why his story of going to be so powerful. Dude is the epitome of an overachiever. He really shouldn’t be as great as he is.

Post #19 » by **tsherkin** » Sat May 17, 2025 5:00 pm

Capn'O wrote:Right - he didn't meet expectations but expectations were too high. Melo didn't play with a team built for Melo, though Chandler was a pretty good front court complement. Amar'e REALLY wasn't. He accomplished about what I expected from those teams. Then his guards were like Ray Felton, Shumpert, and JR Smith.

Right. For a minute, the PG play was conducive to his success. He had Chauncey, and then J Kidd. And that was okay for him. He did pretty well in the RS as an undersized PF bombing from range, shooting a little faster than his typical play and everything. Amare was a poor fit, and didn't stay healthy, and the overall team quality wasn't amazing, for sure.

Godymas · Post #20 » by **Godymas** » Sat May 17, 2025 5:01 pm

Carmelo's stint in a New York Knicks uniform, it's gotta be one of the worst "legendary" stints of all time, right? I mean one good season with 54 wins and a 2nd round exit, and then what? Literally nothing since, atrocious. Yes Jalen Brunson has done more for the Knicks than Melo.

I'd take it a step further, Julius Randle was more impressive in a Knicks uniform than Melo

Melo climbed that all time scoring list with some of the emptiest scoring in NBA history where he averaged 24-7 on 44% FG from 2014-2017. The Knicks won 35% of their games.