Carmelization: Reading the Pros

For the most part, there seem to be three reactions in the media to the Knicks' acquisition of Carmelo Anthony and other players in exchange for various starting players, insurance policies, draft picks, overweight, overpaid bench warmers and cash prizes.

1. Eucatastrophe. With lips stained bright blue from the Knickerberry kool-aid, these guys think the deal was a no-brainer regardless of the price.

2. We had to do it but, damn, that was expensive. The great unsilent majority of fans and commentators tend to be writing some variation on this theme. These folks want to be happy, but something just doesn't sit well ...

3. Bad men conspired to make a bad deal. We've got an unmitigated Isiah-hatched disaster on our hands. And we re-acquired Renaldo Balkman. Next you're going to tell me that Jared Jeffries coming back after the Rockets waive him. Wait, what?

GROUP ONE:

ESPN.com's Bill Simmons (via Twitter):
"In a 30-team league, the Knicks now have 2 of the 10 guys who started yesterday's All-Star Game. That deal was a no-brainer."

"Chandler/Gallo/Felton/Mozgov/No. 1 for Melo/Billups = totally fair deal. NYK cannot eff around here. Last available top-12 guy for 18 mths."

Sports Illustrated's Ian Thomsen:
I think it's a terrific deal for years to come.

ESPN NY's Ian O'Connor:
It's one of the best trades this team has made since Eddie Donovan acquired Dave DeBusschere in 1968.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith:
"The people who run this franchise would have looked like buffoons for perpetuity had they not pulled the trigger and gotten Melo to Gotham City ... As for the players the Knicks lose, no disrespect, but who cares?"



Mike Lupica of the Daily News:
There have been only a handful of debuts such as this since the glory years for the Knicks. There was the night that Patrick Ewing officially became a Knick. There was the first time Pat Riley came out of the Knicks locker room and made the left turn and began to make the Knicks matter again. There was Amar'e Stoudemire's debut earlier this season. There have been some others. None bigger than this."

GROUP TWO

Sports Illustrated's Zach Lowe:
-They have improved in the big picture, but this team is still not close to competing against the Heat, Celtics, Bulls and Magic.

-My general take is that this is a fair deal ... New York is paying a heavy price, but it’s not as heavy as the James Dolan haters — and they are justified in their hate, for sure — might have you believe.

Ball Don't Lie's Kelly Dwyer:
Just enjoy this moment, New York. Because this moment doesn't promise anything beyond what it's already given you.

Dan Krieger at the Denver Post:
Everybody will declare victory because that's what everybody does after a trade, but all we know for sure is the end of the interminable Carmelo Anthony drama was a victory for Anthony, who got everything he wanted.


GROUP THREE

ESPN's John Hollinger:
"New York still gets its Melo-Stoudemire nucleus, but now lacks the supporting pieces to do anything important with that core."

Jemele Hill at ESPN:
"The New York Knicks just figured out a way to give up everything but the coasters for a borderline franchise player and still be a couple of years away from being ready to compete for an NBA championship."

Joey Litman at Straight Bangin':
More than anything, hurtling toward such an uncertain end is what casts the Anthony trade in the same negative light that has shone on the Knicks for years. After working with discipline and purpose to change Knick culture, cultivate opportunity, and repair horrific salary-cap damage, New York reverted to the bad habits which got it in trouble for so long.