NBA: Carmelo Traded to the Thunder
It appears the trade that no one outside of the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma CityThunder saw coming, has reportedly happened. League sources have told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski that New York is sending Carmelo Anthony to Oklahoma City for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott, and a 2018 second-round draft pick.
Anthony, 33, will finally waive his no-trade clause to team up with reigning MVP Russell Westbrook, four-time All-Star Paul George, and their newly revamped roster. Without moving any major assets Thunder GM, Sam Presti, created a “super team” in less than three months. Relegated to producing sixth-man worthy statistics, Kanter never reached his starting potential due to a more adept defender in Steven Adams.
And McDermott’s role would've been reduced even more dramatically with the addition of George. Oddly enough, the 2018 second round draft pick actually comes from the acquisition of McDermott from the Chicago Bulls for Cameron Payne. This isn't the first time Anthony saw himself in the middle of a blockbuster trade.
During the 2010-2011 season, Anthony demanded a trade mid-season to the Knicks from the Denver Nuggets which completely depleted the Knicks' roster of talent. Had Anthony stayed in Denver until the end of season and signed in New York as free agent, the Knicks may had been a better team.
With very little to show for his Big Apple stint, Anthony is finally headed to a championship contender and the Knicks can finally agree on a clear basketball culture. Kristaps Porzingis is now the sole face of Knicks basketball. Pairing P.G. and the summer phenom Hoodie Melo, with Russ, OKC will surely spell disaster for opposing defenses.
However, will the additions be enough to topple the reigning champs residing in Golden State? Probably not, but it will surely be fun to watch OKC contend for a title against the Warriors, the Houston Rockets, and the San Antonio Spurs. Head coach Billy Donavan, will definitely have his hands full trying to create an offense tailored to the strength of his Big 3 while trying to keep the rest of the team content.
Although the offense will come in time, defense will be the determining factor if Oklahoma City wants to play well into the post season. Despite ESPN's notoriously low ranking of the NBA's best (64), Carmelo is still one of the best isolation players in the league, but modern offenses rarely rely on heavy isolation.
George may have to do the least amount of sacrificing due to his ability to catch and shoot, defend, and his otherworldly athleticism. Westbrook might have the hardest time adjusting because of his attack first mentality, but if he can run the offense and attack when needed, Oklahoma City will be dangerous.
If the trio of stars can coexist and sacrifice for the greater good, the Thunder could potentially be the second best team in the Western Conference. Gone are the days of “Russ vs. Everybody," Anthony routinely frustrated by lack of support, and George unintentionally throwing his teammates under the bus. All three players on their respective teams needed more help to win, and now they have that help. Let's see what they do with it.
Photo Credit: Thunderous Intentions & Total Pro Sports.
