Why The Knicks Should Trade Carmelo Anthony

This article is meant to convince everyone that the New York Knicks should trade Carmelo Anthony this season and why they should absolutely not give him a maximum contract worth about 5 years and $130 million when he inevitably opts out of his current contract at the end of this season. I hope to convince you using both the “eye test” and through statistics. In the end, if Anthony is the problem, I will provide some solutions with some possible trade options.

         If you watch even a minute of a Knicks game you will see this shot clock breakdown of the team’s offense nearly every possession:

      0:24 - Knicks inbound ball to point guard

      0:19 - Knicks get the ball over half court, everyone in a New York uniform                  is stagnant, watching as Anthony tries to get position down low on                    the block
      0:10 - Anthony gets the ball on the block, one of two situations occur:

a) Anthony spends 8 seconds trying a 1-on-1 post move on his                              defender and eventually throws up a shot, arguing for a foul call

b) Anthony gets double teamed on the block and throws up a shot                        over two defenders, arguing for a foul call
      0:00 - Anthony’s shot is missed and opponent gets the rebound

I have never seen a more perplexing superstar player than Carmelo Anthony. He seems to enjoy posting up, banging bodies down low, and getting to the line but he seems to shy away from all of that when the game is on the line. In almost every game I have watched the Knicks play (and do not be mistaken, I watch them ALL), rather than take the ball to the rim for a high percentage shot or to draw the foul, ‘Melo decides to take a contested, low percentage, often off balance three pointer when the game is on the line. The two exceptions I remember off hand? The first is Game 2 of the 1st Round of the 2011 Eastern Conference playoffs. But before I break down the end of Game 2, I have to break down the end of Game 1, which New York lost 87-85:

Final seconds of the 4th quarter:

0:21 - Knicks up 85-84, Carmelo Anthony gets called for an offensive foul                  trying to post and get the ball

0:11 - Ray Allen (freed up thanks to one of many illegal screens by Kevin                  Garnett, for the record) hits a three pointer and the Celtics go up                         87-85.

0:07 - Carmelo Anthony gets the ball by half court and casually dribble the                ball over to the right sideline.

0:05 - Rajon Rondo comes to double team ‘Melo, who is still up against the              sideline

0:04 - ‘Melo sees the double team coming and throws up a fade away,                      25-foot three pointer over the outstretched hands of two defenders

0:00 - Game over, Knicks lose 87-85

Carmelo took some heat after the game, partly because he took such a bad shot to try and win it and partly because he could have passed it to a wide open Toney Douglas at the top of the key. So what happens in Game 2? Almost the exact same situation. The Knicks are down 94-93 with 9 seconds left and ‘Melo has the ball on the right wing outside the three point line, almost the exact same place as in Game 1. This time, instead of trying to create a high percentage game winning shot, he dumps the ball to Jared Jeffries on the block, who became open momentarily as his defender went to double ‘Melo. Kevin Garnett comes over quickly to guard Jeffries, who subsequently turns the ball over on a pass attempt and that’s all she wrote. In a giant F-U to the New York media, ‘Melo put the game in the hands of a player who shot under 35% from the field that season. ‘Melo sent the Knicks down 2-0 in the series to prove to New Yorkers that a bad shot from him is better than giving anyone else the ball. The Knicks went on to lose the next two games and were swept out of the playoffs.

The second instance I recall offhand of Carmelo Anthony NOT shooting a terrible three pointer to try and win a game was this year against his former team, the Denver Nuggets. The Knicks were down 97-95 and ‘Melo gets the ball on the block with about five seconds left. He spins to shoot a fadeaway jumper and his shot is blocked by his defender and the game is over. One small detail I failed to mention? Carmelo is listed at 6’8” while his defender, Randy Foye, who blocked the potential game tying shot, is 6’4”! Carmelo, who may be one of the best scorers in the NBA when the game is not on the line, got his game winning shot blocked by someone FOUR INCHES SHORTER THAN HIM.

Then there was last night’s game against the Washington Wizards, which just put my frustration over the top. The Knicks are down one point at home against the Wizards after Washington guard Bradley Beal hit an open layup, where he blew by defender Beno Udrih and there was no help defense to stop him from scoring two easy points, to go up with 6.9 seconds left. The Knicks, who have three timeouts remaining, opt not to take one (I do not have a problem with that, plenty of time to get the ball up court and you do not want the defense to get set). ‘Melo gets the ball underneath the basket and begins to WALK it up court. Tick, tick tick. 3.3 seconds left, ‘Melo has finally made it to half court, now realizes he has to hurry, and starts to jog to the three point line on the right wing. Tick, tick, tick. 1.5 seconds left and ‘Melo releases a running three point attempt off of one foot while fading into the corner. He misses, badly, not even hitting the rim, and the Wizards win it at MSG. 6.9 seconds Carmelo Anthony had to get the ball up court for a good shot and he, for reasons based solely on his own desire for the dramatic, casually brought the ball up court and finished with a terrible excuse for a shot.

But hey, clutch can be subjective right? So far it has just been my opinion and observations regarding whether or not Carmelo Anthony is clutch and worth a massive contract. Well, how about some statistics to back that up?

In the following sections, I will break down a number of “clutch” situations and how Carmelo Anthony’s statistics in those situations compare to other top players in the NBA.

Situation: 2013-14 Regular Season. Under 2 minutes left in a game where the score difference is 5 points or less or tied.

This season the 7-17 New York Knicks are 3-9 in games that meet that criteria. Anthony’s shooting percentage in these situations is 15.8% from the field (3-19) which includes 0-7 from three point range.

Carmelo Anthony Shot Chart

2013-2014 Regular Season

Under 2 minutes left in a game
Score difference is 5 points or less or tied

Granted, Anthony is 13-14 from the free throw line in these situations (92.9%), but that number should be even higher, but he refuses to force himself into the paint when it matters most. Of the Top 15 players in points scored in these clutch situations this season, Anthony is tied for the second most field goals attempted, but dead last in both field goal percentage and three point percentage. Only one other player in the Top 15, Kevin Martin, is on a team with a worse winning percentage in games that come down to these clutch situations (Martin’s Minnesota Timberwolves are 1-7 in such games). Sure, Kevin Durant has the second worst field goal percentage on that list at 18.8%, but his team is 9-3 in games that come down to these clutch situations.

Also telling on that list is that Anthony is the only one to not have at least one assist in this clutch situation. Now, that could mean two things. 1) That Carmelo Anthony does not pass the ball in clutch situations or 2) Carmelo Anthony’s teammates do not make shots off of his passes in clutch situations. But based on the high number of shots Anthony has taken and from what I have seen with my own eyes at the end of Knicks games, it is the former, not the latter, as to why ‘Melo has not accumulated any assists in these situations. Backing up my observation is that the second most clutch shot attempts in this game situation a Knicks’ player has is J.R. Smith with 6.

Top 15 Players in Points Scored in the Clutch

2013-2014 Season

Under 2 minutes left in a game
Score difference is 5 points or less or tied

Situation: 2013-14 Regular Season. Under 10 seconds left in a game where your team is down 2 points or less or tied.

Now, you may be saying that 2 minutes at the end of the game is a long time. ‘Melo has hit his fair share of buzzer beaters right? Wrong. Since I have been knocking Carmelo Anthony on how often he takes three pointers when he does not need to, I will just examine Anthony’s shots this season with less than 10 seconds left in the game and the Knicks losing two points or less or in a tie game. In this situation, a three pointer is not necessary, a two could tie it or win it. Therefore, I am not including times when Anthony had to take a three pointer in order to tie the game. In these situations Carmelo Anthony has not made a single shot this season to win or tie the game. With the Knicks losing by two or one or with the game tied with under 10 seconds left, situations where a two pointer would either win the game or send it to overtime, Anthony is 0-4 from the field, 0-2 from three, and 1-1 from the free throw line and the Knicks are 0-6.

Carmelo Anthony Shot Chart

2013-2014 Regular Season

Under 10 Seconds left in a game
Team is down 2 points or less or tied

The only other player in that situation to take as many shots as Anthony and not make a bucket is John Wall for the Wizards, but looking at his shot chart you can see that he is at least working to get to the rim for a high percentage shot, he has not taken a single three pointer at the end of the game when it is unnecessary. And the Wizards are still 3-5 in such situations.

John Wall Shot Chart

2013-2014 Regular Season

Under 10 Seconds left in a game
Team is down 2 points or less or tied

Situation: 2013-2014 Regular Season. Under 1 minute left in the game and your team is ahead by 3 points or less or tied.

That last situation is for when the Knicks are losing, let’s talk about when they are winning towards the end of games (that happens sometimes, right?). Here is a look at Anthony when the Knicks are winning by a single possession (3 points or less) or the game is tied with under one minute to play. Can Anthony score for the Knicks to give them a little cushion at the end of games? No, no he cannot. In four games where the Knicks were leading by a possession or the game was tied with under one minute to play Anthony is 0-2 from the field and has gone to the line only once, making his two free throw attempts in his one trip during those situations, while the Knicks have gone 1-3 in such games.

But we are just a mere quarter of the way through the season, surely this small sample size does not prove much. Well, let’s take a look at last season.

Situation: 2012-2013 Regular Season. Under 2 minutes left in the game where the score difference is 5 points or less or tied.

Last season the Knicks went 54-28 and Anthony even led the league in scoring, averaging 28.7 points per game, but even then he could not seem to get it done in the clutch. The Knicks went 15-11 (.577) in games where it was at most a five point difference with under 2 minutes to play, but Anthony’s shooting percentage was a mere 33.3% (9-27) from the field, an even worse 16.7% (1-6) from deep, and 90% (18-20) from the free throw line.

Carmelo Anthony Shot Chart

2012-2013 Regular Season

Under 2 minutes left in the game
Score difference is 5 points or less or tied

         Here is a list of some of the other players considered to be the best in the NBA and how they compare to Anthony in this situation:

         Kobe Bryant (Lakers): In 35 games Bryant shot 42.2% (27-64) from the field, 36.4% (8-22) from three, and 85.3% (29-34) from the line. The Lakers went 19-16 (.543) in these situations.

Kobe Bryant Shot Chart

2012-2013 Regular Season

Under 2 minutes left in the game
Score difference is 5 points or less or tied

         Chris Paul (Clippers): In 24 games Paul shot 46.2% (18-39) from the field, 0% (0-4) from deep, and 89.8% (44-49) from the line. The Clippers went 14-10 (.583) in these situations.

Chris Paul Shot Chart

2012-2013 Regular Season

Under 2 minutes left in the game
Score difference is 5 points or less or tied

         Kevin Durant (Thunder): In 29 games Durant shot 34% (16-47) from the field, 14.3% (2-14) from deep, and 86.5% (45-52) from the line. The Thunder went 15-14 (.517) in these situations.

Kevin Durant Shot Chart

2012-2013 Regular Season

Under 2 minutes left in the game
Score difference is 5 points or less or tied

         LeBron James (Heat): In 30 games James shot 41.1% (23-56) from the field, 30.8% (4-13) from deep, and 76.7% (23-30) from the line. The Heat went 23-7 (.767) in these situations.

LeBron James Shot Chart

2012-2013 Regular Season

Under 2 minutes left in the game
Score difference is 5 points or less or tied

I chose these players because if Carmelo Anthony is going to be considered to be one of the best offensive players in the game, and be one paid like one too, it is only fair to compare him to other players considered to be the best in the NBA. A striking number here is how little Carmelo Anthony got to the line. Sure, he shot 90% from the charity stripe when he did get to the line with under 2 minutes to play and the game still up in the air, but he only took 20 free throws.

The difference those 20 free throws compared to the other players I listed is astounding when you remember that it only accounts for the last 2 minutes of a game. Sure, James’ 30 free throws does not seem like that much more than Anthony’ 20 over the course of an 82 game season, but this is in just the last two minutes of 30 and 26 games, respectively. But even James hit over 40% from the field during that time.

Durant only shot 34% from the field during these situations, but he still managed to draw fouls and get easy points from the free throw line, shooting 32 more times from the stripe than Anthony in the final 2 minutes in just 3 more games that fall under this situation. The same goes for Chris Paul, who shot 29 more free throws than Anthony in the game’s final two minutes in two less games that fall under this situation, Paul shot well over 40% from the field during those times as well. Kobe may have played 9 more 2-minute stretches that fall under this situation, but he shot over 40% from the field as well.

The abysmal shooting percentage by Anthony and lack of aggressiveness in getting to the line when the game is on the line is clearly evident here. You can see it as well in the shot chart where he clearly enjoys spending time outside the paint instead of getting inside and drawing a foul.

Situation: 2012-2013 Playoffs. Under 2 minutes left in the game where the score difference is 5 points or less or tied.

Carmelo Anthony took six shot attempts in the playoffs last year with under 2 minutes to play in at most a five point game. His percentage? 33% (2-6), 0-3 from deep, and 0-2 from the free throw line. The Knicks were 1-3 in such situations. Taking a look at the shot chart you can see he did not take a single shot attempt inside the pain during times that fell under that situation.

Carmelo Anthony Shot Chart

2013 Playoffs

Under 2 minutes left in the game 
Score difference is 5 points or less or tied

Is the Knicks horrific season completely Carmelo Anthony’s fault? Absolutely not. I could point to just about everyone getting consistent playing time and explain how they are hurting the team (i.e., Andrea Bargnani might be the most clueless help defender in the history of the NBA, J.R. Smith could not hit water if he fell out of a boat but yet continues to make terrible decisions when he has the ball, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler have been hurt). But as the clear-cut go-to guy on the team, and as the player the team was specifically built around, ‘Melo has not done what it takes to win games. Mellowed Out ‘Melo is just too nonchalant at the end of games to be a reliable clutch shooter.

Carmelo Anthony is never going to win a championship with the Knicks because he is never going to take the pay cut necessary to get the guys around him needed to win. Furthermore, his game just is not conducive to a championship team. He only plays defense when he feels like it (which is more rare than him hitting a clutch shot at the end of a game), and he refuses to create for his teammates (using double teams as an opportunity to shoot over two defenders rather than find the open man).

For more evidence as to ‘Melo’s selfish decisions, you do not need to look any further than what it took to get him to New York to begin with. Anthony essentially had two options in joining the Knicks. The first was to wait the season out and sign with the Knicks in the offseason. This would have left ‘Melo with slightly less money on an already lucrative contract he would have signed and left the talented Knicks roster mostly in tact for Anthony’s first season in New York.

The second was for Anthony to force a trade to the Knicks where New York would have to give up the farm to get him, but he could sign a very expensive contract with an extra year added. Guess which one he took? The Knicks sent 4 starters (Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, and Timofey Mozgov), cash, 2 2nd round picks (2012 and 2013), and a 2014 first round pick to the Nuggets as well as Eddy Curry’s expiring contract to the Timberwolves as part of a 3-team trade to get Anthony to the Knicks. Congratulations Carmelo Anthony. You have your money, but the Knicks do not have a competitive team.

The Knicks should cut their losses now on this whole Carmelo Anthony fiasco that has taken place over the last three years. Although I am sure that New York will re-sign him to a maximum contract this offseason and the Knicks will spend at least another decade sans championship, it is nice to imagine what it would be like if Knicks’ owner James Dolan did the smart thing for once. Here are some trade possibilities I have thought up for the Knicks to get rid of Anthony:

Trade #1:

New York Knicks receive: Kevin Love (from Timberwolves), Jodie Meeks (from Lakers)

Los Angeles Lakers receive: Carmelo Anthony (from Knicks), J.J. Barea (from Timberwolves)

Minnesota Timberwolves receive: Pau Gasol (from Lakers), Iman Shumpert (from Knicks), 1st round pick (from Lakers)

Why the Knicks would make this trade:

The Knicks already seem to be gearing up to get Kevin Love in two years, why not start a couple of years early? Love brings rebounding to a team that needs it on both ends of the floor and is a very nice piece to build your team around. Unlike Anthony, he does not need to score to be effective. Pairing him up with fast wing players also utilizes Love’s tremendous ability to deliver the outlet pass. Meeks has an expiring contract the Knicks can wipe off the book next year.

Why the Lakers would make this trade:

Pau Gasol seems to be on the outs with coach Mike D’Antoni and Kobe’s championship window is closing with every passing day. Anthony gives the Lakers a scoring partner for the aging Kobe and also gives them a scorer for the future, when Kobe retires. The intoxicating glow of Los Angeles may also be inspiring enough to get Anthony to sign a new contract with the Lakers. In addition, with all the injuries to the point guard position that the Lakers have had (Steve Nash, Steve Blake, Jordan Farmer), Barea will be able to step in as a starting guard or come off the bench. With teams constantly trying to play stars together to win a championship, could the combination of Kobe and ‘Melo work in L.A.?

Why the Timberwolves would make this trade:

Kevin Love may not want to stay in Minnesota forever. Is that a risk the Timberwolves are willing to take? Teaming Pau Gasol with fellow Spaniard Ricky Rubio is something both players would enjoy very much, and with Gasol’s contract expiring after this season the Timberwolves could either re-sign him for less or let him leave and use the money in the upcoming free agency. Ever since signing J.J. Barea to a big contract, he has done nothing to earn it. Sending him L.A.’s way gets rid of a bad contract. In addition, Shumpert is a young player who is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league. For a team building around Rubio, Shumpert could be a nice addition.

Trade #2:

New York Knicks receive: Blake Griffin, Jared Dudley, Ryan Hollins, 1st Round Pick

Los Angeles Clippers receive: Carmelo Anthony, Iman Shumpert

Why the Knicks would make this trade:

The Knicks get Griffin, one of the most electric players in the NBA, to build a team around. Griffin does not need the ball in order to be effective. His rebounding and defensive energy should help set the tone for future Knicks teams. Dudley, one of the best three point shooting players in the NBA joins the Knicks, one of the most enthusiastic three point shooting teams in the NBA. The 1st round pick also helps the Knicks make up for all the ones given up because of Carmelo Anthony.

Why the Clippers would make this trade:

Trading for a prolific wing scorer to pair with Chris Paul may be what the Clippers need to make a title run in a congested Western Conference. The allure of playing with one of the best point guards in the game in Paul, while also playing in L.A., may be enough to keep Anthony around for longer. In addition, Shumpert brings perimeter defense and energy to a team that needs some perimeter defense. The loss of Griffin hurts, but they still have DeAndre Jordan manning the paint.

Trade #3:

New York Knicks receive: Andrew Bynum (from Cavs), Tristan Thompson (from Cavs), 2 1st round picks (from Cavs)

Cleveland Cavaliers receive: Carmelo Anthony (from Knicks), Omer Asik (from Rockets)

Houston Rockets receive: Anderson Varejeo (from Cavs), 2nd round pick (from Cavs)

Why the Knicks would make this trade:

Young big men like Bynum and Thompson are a solid building block for a Knicks team seriously lacking in height right now because of injuries to Tyson Chandler, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Kenyon Martin. Bynum has a team option in his contract after this season, so if he gets hurt then the Knicks can get rid of him. If he looks good, he is a championship winning center who can get it done on both ends of the floor (when healthy). Two future 1st round draft picks also help the Knicks make up for the many, many picks the Knicks have traded away and should definitely help rebuild the team.

Why the Cavaliers would make this trade:

The danger looms of future superstar point guard Kyrie Irving leaving, much like LeBron James, for greener pastures. Trading for ‘Melo may be enough to keep Irving in Cleveland and visa versa. Cleveland may not be New York or L.A., but playing with one of the brightest young guards in the league may make Cleveland more attractive for ‘Melo. There is no guarantee James returns to the Cavs when he is done with the Heat. Getting ‘Melo gives the team an All-Star forward and they do not have to hold their breath for James to make a decision. Asik adds rebounding and scoring underneath. While they are giving up multiple draft picks, the Cavs have stockpiled them over the next few years and could have multiple first round picks in the next couple of draft. Giving up those is a small price to pay for getting Anthony and Asik.

Why the Rockets would make this trade:

Asik clearly is not happy in Houston and he will get traded one way or another. Replacing him with Anderson Varejao gives Dwight Howard even more rebounding help underneath. Varejeo is a rebounding machine who will not take away from anyone on the offensive end. With James Harden, Jeremy Lin, and Howard putting up most of the team’s shots, Varejao can be there to grab those offensive boards. He fits in well with this team.

*All statistics and shot charts are courtesy of nba.com/stats

* *Trades were created with the help of ESPN.com’s Trade Machine