Getty Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on December 09, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The New York Knicks have had a productive offseason so far, but things could get even better for them if they manage to land Donovan Mitchell before the season begins.
After shutting down talks on their star guard, the Utah Jazz are open to dealing Mitchell, and the Knicks were among the first teams to call up about acquiring him.
Although talks have hit a bit of a standstill, there’s still a chance the two sides could come to an agreement that would see Mitchell suiting up in a Knicks jersey.
Sports Illustrated’s Ben Stinar doesn’t want the Knicks to stop there, either. He suggests the Knicks go for a reunion with former superstar Carmelo Anthony in an effort to fill out the bench.
Return of Anthony
After departing the Knicks, Anthony became a wanderer before latching on to a consistent role with the Portland Trail Blazers and then the Los Angeles Lakers.
Although the end of his basketball life draws near, he can still provide strong scoring off the bench.
“At this point in his career, Anthony is a bench player, but he would be a solid veteran for the team and bring excitement to Madison Square Garden,” writes Stinar.
Anthony would definitely be a boon to the team, but it could mean Obi Toppin is further behind in the rotation, and that wouldn’t be good for his development. Toppin has been stuck behind Julius Randle in the depth chart, and finding himself behind Anthony would almost certainly mean his days in New York are numbered.
The most success the Knicks have had this century has come when Anthony was a member of the team, and with New York making the playoffs just two seasons ago, perhaps there’s a chance it could be replicated.
Would Anthony Want to Return?
“If Carmelo wanted to come back and have his final year in the NBA here [with the Knicks], that was on the table, and I haven’t heard anything about it being off the table.”
– @IanBegley on a potential Carmelo Anthony-Knicks reunion t.co/DFXpFFrLXJ
Despite having a strong showing the past season, no team has offered Anthony a contract to come play with them.
SNY’s Ian Begley reports there’s an offer dating back to last season that would let the former star finish out his career in New York if he wanted to.
“If Carmelo wanted to come back and have his final year in the NBA here, that was on the table, and I haven’t heard anything about it being off the table,” he said.
Any type of reunion with the future Hall of Famer would just be icing on the cake for the Knicks as landing Jalen Brunson and possibly Mitchell would be the main headliners. Anthony can still fill in as a starter and he’s become a bit of a deadeye shooter in his twilight, so he can still score quite well.
However, he might be better suited on a team that is competing for a championship rather than a team that is playing their young players. The Knicks just traded away several of their veterans to make room for Brunson, so adding Anthony to the equation would be a puzzling decision. Then again, the Knicks do reportedly have that offer on the table, so we’ll have to wait and see if he takes it.
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Knicks Urged to Target 10-Time All-Star Along With Donovan Mitchell