Carmelo Anthony seems excited about the New York Knicks’ future.
So long as the future includes Kristaps Porzingis.
The 20-year-old asparagus spear that many Knicks fans booed on draft night had himself another encouraging, if outright dominant, outing on Tuesday night in the Knicks’ win over the Charlotte Hornets. He finished with 29 points and 11 rebounds, falling just shy of the 30 and 10 mark no Knicks rookie has posted since Patrick Ewing, on 10-of-17 shooting, including a 2-of-2 effort from beyond the arc.
Porzingis hasn’t ever had a game like this before, where a moment so fantastic it feels like it’s fleeting lasts an entire game. But he is no stranger to providing incredible glimpses into his potential, be it with a block or a three-ball or a thunderous outback. Tuesday night, really, was a manifestation of everything he’s been doing in drips and drabs. And that’s exciting not only for long-suffering Knicks fans, but for Carmelo Anthony, who, despite returning to New York at least in part because of the money, stayed with a team that was going nowhere and now has a chance to bask in its decided direction.
As he said after Porzingis’ explosion against Charlotte, per ESPN.com’s Ian Begley:
“It felt good to hear his name being chanted in our arena,” he said. “I’m proud of him.”
There doesn’t seem to be anything artificial about Carmelo’s faith in Porzingis. The rumor mill was hot after the Knicks drafted him, quick to cite Melo’s distaste for a long-term project when he’s staring down the barrel of his twilight.
But if at any point Carmelo was unhappy, or is still unhappy, he has gone to great lengths to hide it. Not only is he saying all the right things, but he’s doing all the right things. Tuesday night alone saw him pass up at least two shots in favor of deferring to Porzingis, who while more polished than advertised, may never have his prime intersect with that of Anthony.
There’s no downplaying those gestures or Carmelo’s acceptance of Porzingis. Any noise the Knicks are going to make over the next two or three years, assuming they make any, will start with those two. And it’s good to know that Carmelo Anthony, in light of all that’s happened since he arrived in New York, is willing to share the spotlight with a rookie who isn’t yet a superstar.
