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After a blazing-hot start to the 2022 NBA Offseason with the key signings of Isaiah Hartenstein, Mitchell Robinson, and, of course, Jalen Brunson things have slowed down quite considerably for the New York Knicks.
Now, though the franchise has been reported as being in frequent talks with the Utah Jazz in hopes of striking a deal to land star guard Donovan Mitchell, from an “actual moves made” standpoint the front office has grown rather stagnant since mid-July.
However, despite their slowed pace of late, the Knicks still have managed to find themselves linked to some polarizing names looking for a change of scenery and, according to recent rumblings, they could be a desired destination for one of their former franchise cornerstones.
In an August 26 episode of the “Don’t Aggregate This” podcast, NBA Insider Jake Fischer reported that he’s heard whispers veteran free agent Carmelo Anthony has an interest in returning to the New York Knicks.
“I have certainly heard that Carmelo’s got interest in a reunion,” Fischer said.
Since this report surfaced, fans and media outlets have been in an absolute frenzy, pushing out speculative content left and right about the possibility of the 10-time All-Star making his way back to the Big Apple.
And while Anthony himself has not come out and publicly state that he has a desire to return to the Knicks, his recent appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards has only strengthened the notion of his possible interest.
When presenting rapper and singer Bad Bunny with the MTV Artist of the Year award at Yankee Stadium on August 28, the future Hall of Famer made some warmhearted and affectionate remarks about the Empire State.
“I couldn’t be no place better than being here with you at Yankee Stadium, here in my city of New York,” Anthony said.
Born in Red Hook, Brooklyn, Anthony lived in New York until he was eight years old before moving to Baltimore.
In February of 2011, after spending nearly eight seasons with the Denver Nuggets, the forward forced his way to the Knicks via a mid-season blockbuster trade. He would go on to represent the orange and blue for seven seasons before being traded in the summer of 2018 to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Last season, Anthony served as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played in 69 games and averaged 13.3 points and 4.2 rebounds on 44% shooting from the floor and 37.5% shooting from deep whilst predominantly coming off the bench.
Anthony Was a Force on the Knicks
From 2011 to 2017 Carmelo Anthony served as the star centerpiece of the NBA’s most valuable franchise.
During his seven-year stint with the Knicks, the forward managed to post stellar averages of 24.7 points, 7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, a steal, and half a block per game whilst garnering six All-Star nods and two All-NBA selections in the process.
2012-13 proved to be his best season in New York and arguably the best of his career, as he went on to post a league-leading 28.7 points per game to go along with 6.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 44.9% shooting from the floor and 37.9% shooting from distance.
The team would finish in the second seed in the Eastern Conference with a record of 54-28, earning them their first Atlantic Division title since 1994 while advancing to the Conference Semi-Finals for the first time since 1999-2000.
With his individual accomplishments and the team’s incredible success, Anthony finished third in the running for league MVP that year and was the only player outside of the eventual recipient of the award, LeBron James, to receive a first-place vote.
Knicks Still Looking for a Centerpiece
Since the days of Carmelo Anthony, the New York Knicks have made the postseason just once and have an overall record of 116-186 (.384%).
Though they have rostered a few All-Star players along the way (Kristaps Porzingis & Julius Randle), it seems as though the franchise is still looking for that foundational piece to build around and, in turn, bring them back to a place of league-wide respectability.
The most high-profile name that could eventually wind up serving as that type of individual for the ball club is current Jazz star Donovan Mitchell who has been heavily sought after by Leon Rose and company seemingly all summer long.
At just 25 years old, the guard has already been selected to three All-Star games and has guided his team to the playoffs every season since entering the league back in 2017.
While one could argue Utah’s asking price for Mitchell is a bit “wild,” particularly when it comes to CEO Danny Ainge’s desires for seven first-round picks, the Knicks still are reported as feeling rather confident that they can offer up the best package for the fifth-year pro.
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