Remember when Carmelo Anthony drove Mike D'Antoni and Jeremy Lin out of NY?

[Zingod]

Yes, he's an overrated cancer.

[BallerTalk]

The best and most exhilarating time at the Garden, Melo was just too jealous to let Lin (a team first player) share the limelight with him.


Yes they had that nice "**** you" year the next season, but long term Melo showed why he is known for being a team destroyer.


One of the most underwritten and disgusting political moves I've seen in a while. It's a shame Lin is too humble to talk about what really happened.

I'm not going to particulary defend Carmelo in this situation, but I think you are misrepresenting Linsanity a bit.

It was indeed an exhilarating time for the Knicks. However, Jeremy Lin is a player who is most effective when he has the ball in his hands and is in attack mode. He's best when he's the first option and can be ultra aggressive. Linsanity was the perfect storm of thrusting him into that role AND him having the best stretch of his career. Trouble is, Lin is just not good enough for a team to be successful with LIn in that role. The role that enables him to have the most personal success is at odds with the role that enables the most team success. it's the classic decent player puts up big numbers on a bad team scenario, amplified by fact that he was a previously unrecognized talent on a small sample size hot streak.

So although Lin is not a selfish player (and I'm a fan of his) he's proven that he's not a lead player or even a second option for a good team. On a good team, he'd be best as second unit leader.

I don't know exactly what went on behind the scenes with Carmelo, but to expect him to somehow try to become a role player on Jeremy Lin's team is unrealistic, as is any expectation (which I know you didn't say) that D'Antoni + Lin would equal D'Antoni + Nash or Harden.

Excellent, accurate, and comprehensive comment.
I'd add that Daryl Morey had far more to do with Lin's exit from NY than Melo did.

[johanliebert]

MDA drove himself out of there. a few weeks of good play by lin doesnt overshadow everything before.

[Slava]

Linsanity? What is this 2012 again?

[GooniesNeverDie]

yet the Rockets were still trying to get Melo this season? I'm sure if D'Antoni felt like Melo pushed him out that wouldn't have happened. Melo's a good dude.. just not the player he thinks he is

[Jay10]

Remember when melo was too scared to play that warriors game on national tv?

Then the injury he had magically healed and he was able play against the Nuggets 2 days later.

[Jay10]

MDA drove himself out of there. a few weeks of good play by lin doesnt overshadow everything before.

D'antoni had an interview with Howard Beck i believe, where he said Carmelo told the Knicks front office/Dolan: It's me or D'antoni.

The Knicks made their decision and D'antoni resigned.

[blueNorange]

as a knick fan, i'm glad he's gone. the overall team usually embodies the body language of the head honcho and whenever melo sulked the overall attitude of the team sulked. good riddance. kanter is 1/4 the player melo is yet has affected the team way more just by being a vocal leader.

[Pennebaker]

As if D'antoni or Lin were prized possessions.

[magnumt]

The best and most exhilarating time at the Garden, Melo was just too jealous to let Lin (a team first player) share the limelight with him.

Yes they had that nice "**** you" year the next season, but long term Melo showed why he is known for being a team destroyer.

One of the most underwritten and disgusting political moves I've seen in a while. It's a shame Lin is too humble to talk about what really happened.

--Mags