Less than 12 hours after the blockbuster trade went through between New York and Denver, I’m still shaking my head. After sleeping on the trade for a night, it still doesn’t seem right.
First of all with New York, this was not a Donnie Walsh led trade. Walsh has the contacts, experience and knowledge within the NBA that has allowed him to be successful for decades. Personally, I trust Donnie Walsh a lot more than I trust Isiah Thomas, James Dolan or World Wide Wes. It’s for certain, Walsh is not behind this trade and for good reason. Because he didn’t endorse this trade, he may be out out New York after this season.
This trade doesn’t setup the Knicks very well. New York gave up four starters, three draft picks for a player that demanded to get out of Denver. Take a look at their roster now, they don’t have a true center, and the depth is gone.
They don’t necessarily need big names. The Knicks have the Garden, big town New York, and the celebrities. Now there will be a buzz once again at Madison Square Garden, but it is always crowded nonetheless.
Remember, how long it took the Miami Heat to gel and come together? And they had training camp the preseason. This tandem of Amare and Carmelo isn’t going to work immediately. Carmelo has scored at least 20 points in every game this season which may change. One game he may have to carry the team while another he must defer to Amare.
Michael Grady of 1070 The Fan brought up a great point this morning. Fans love stars and identify with particular players rather than teams. Think about it. Until this year, were there really that many Heat fans around the country? Of course not, but there are LeBron James fans and there are some Chris Bosh fans. Already today I’ve talked to a lot of people that have jumped on the Knicks bandwagon. Not Knicks fans, but they like Carmelo.
And don’t underestimate the location of choice by these leaders. Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Chicago, Boston. You think a pair of stars are saying, “hey, want to join forces in Indiana.” Absolutely not. Today, it’s more about the money, fame, and endorsement deals.
In terms of the local teams, fans will of course root them on. If you’ve been to a Pacers game when the Lakers, Celtics, Magic or Heat are in town you understand. Numerous M-V-P chants can be heard when Kobe, Rose or LeBron is playing. There’s a reason those games also sellout–they come to see the stars. And as the NBA’s most talented come together, other less notable teams lose out.
There has been a complete evolution of the basketball player, most likely attributed to AAU basketball. The top players in basketball are now joining forces rather than outcompeting one another. Instead of outworking and outperforming other rival stars, the top athletes are combining their talents. And I don’t like it.
This deal isn’t good for the Knicks and this isn’t good for the league. Instead of seeking out Deron Williams or Chris Paul this offseason, the money isn’t there. Immediately, the trade benefits the Knicks and hurts the Nuggets but Denver certainly wins in the long run. The Nuggets picked up three draft picks, $3 million in cash and setup themselves financially for the future.