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In the fallout of the Donovan Mitchell deal that saw the Jazz trade their star to the Cavaliers, the New York Knicks are once again left holding the bag.
Shortly after the trade happened, the Knicks announced their extension with RJ Barrett, perhaps as a bit of damage control, but it also shows they are committed to their young star going forward.
While landing Mitchell would’ve been an exciting thing to envision, the reality is it likely wouldn’t have been enough to propel the Knicks into championship contention. However, getting Mitchell would’ve opened the door to bringing in more talent.
SNY’s Ian Begley believes that Carmelo Anthony would’ve been more open to a reunion with the team if they landed Mitchell, but now he’s unsure where that interest lies.
No More Reunion?
If Anthony is looking to add a championship ring to his collection by the time he retires, signing with the Knicks won’t make a ton of sense for him, despite how much the local fanbase might adore him.
Begley thinks the Knicks may have missed their window in getting him by not bringing Donovan Mitchell to New York.
“One move worth noting in the wake of the Mitchell trade: I think there would have been mutual interest between Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks if the club had traded for Mitchell,” he said. “I don’t know where the situation between Anthony and the Knicks stands in the wake of Mitchell going to Cleveland. But I do believe there would have been at least consideration from both the Knicks and Anthony’s side if they had traded for Mitchell. Just my opinion.”
Back in July, Begley reiterated the Knicks had an open offer on the table for Anthony, but he did mention that dated back to last season.
“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.
As it stands right now, Anthony doesn’t fit well into the way the roster is currently built because it looks like a youth movement is underway. New York is also quite loaded at forward with Cam Reddish, Barrett, Obi Toppin, Julius Randle, and Evan Fournier depending on how Thibodeau plays everyone, so minutes can be difficult to find for a near-40 vet.
Odds Are Still Good
According to Bally Sports’ Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, the Knicks are currently sitting among the favorites in landing Anthony. Robinson puts them with the second-best chances of getting him, just behind the Boston Celtics who now have a roster opening after the Danilo Gallinari injury.
If Anthony’s looking for a role to play along with winning a championship, the Celtics certainly make the most sense for him. If he’s trying to have a bit of fun with little to no expectations for himself, then signing for the Knicks could be a better option for him.
Of that list, the Knicks certainly give him the worst shot at winning a title.
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