Knicks Trade Rumors: Will Loss To Phoenix Suns Evict Carmelo Anthony From New York?


Knicks trade rumors will be hard to ignore after a loss to the Phoenix Suns. The New York Knicks, playing at Madison Square Garden, lost 107-105 to one of the worst teams in the NBA. The Suns came into this game with a 13-29 record, which was good enough for last place in the entire Western Conference. Though the Knicks have struggled to a 19-26 record this season, this was an absolutely unacceptable loss for the franchise.

With a healthy roster of Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Kristaps Porzingis, and Brandon Jennings, an easy home game against the lowly Suns seemed like a good way for the Knicks to turn things around. A win would have had the team within two games of the No. 8 seeded Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference. Instead, the Knicks fell to three games back, continuing a spiral over the last 10 games.

A report by the New York Post late Saturday (Jan. 21), called the game a “gut-punch loss” due to the way it ended. Anthony had a chance to win the game on a three-point attempt at the buzzer, but his shot rolled off the rim. Instead of it being a game that could give the team much-needed momentum, it ended up being just another notch in the loss column.

There have been a lot of New York Knicks trade rumors over the past month, with reports that team president Phil Jackson and star player Carmelo Anthony weren’t getting along. Then the Knicks got Joakim Noah back from an injury and it seemed like they could get the season back on track. Now the team has lost two straight games again, falling to the Washington Wizards and Phoenix Suns at home.

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There are now just 12 games left for the Knicks until the NBA trade deadline hits on February 23. The team just has to make up a three-game deficit in the standings to catch the No. 8 seeded Chicago Bulls, finally leading the Knicks back to the NBA Playoffs. Doing that would quiet the chatter that this is a team in desperate need of a makeover. It could also give fans something to look forward to over the final two months of the regular season.

With Phil Jackson watching, the Knicks have played to a 19-26 record, despite having a payroll north of $103 million. It might be time to just throw in the towel, wave the white flag, and open up a large-scale fire sale. Veterans like Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings are in the final years of their contracts, making them affordable options to contending teams that just need to add a piece or two before the NBA trade deadline. If the plan of the Knicks’ front office is to let them walk in free agency, then now might be the time to pull the trigger on a deal.

Numerous Carmelo Anthony trade rumors have also surfaced, with the All-Star forward working hard at keeping his composure when media members continuously ask him about his future with the franchise. Anthony has still never asked for a trade by the Knicks, but it is starting to become very clear that the mounting losses are getting to him. NBA analysts continue to debate whether it is his fault that the Knicks continue to struggle with him on the roster, but most agree that a change of scenery could help him a lot.

[Image by Elsa/Getty Images]

After this season, Anthony has one more guaranteed year on his contract worth about $26.2 million. He has a player option worth about $28 million for the 2018-19 NBA season, but Anthony is expected to opt out of that deal as soon as he can. That leaves a lot of value on his contract for another team, suggesting that the team could bring back several very nice assets in exchange for him. Fans should expect more and more New York Knicks trade rumors until the team deals him or the deadline arrives. The question is what will be the ultimate tipping point for Phil Jackson?

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