The New York Knicks have an aggressive free-agent recruiter in Carmelo Anthony.
Though the NBA’s open-market craze doesn’t officially begin until July 1, Anthony has already started courting Kevin Durant on behalf of New York. That’s the luxury of spending time together as members of Team USA’s basketball squad, per ESPN.com’s Marc Stein:
Carmelo Anthony tells ESPN that his recruitment of Kevin Durant has already begun, saying: "We've been together. We've been talking."
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) June 27, 2016
The Knicks have the ability to offer Durant a max contract. They should even get a meeting with this summer’s top prize. But the idea of Durant joining forces with Carmelo Anthony is beyond farfetched.
Most, at this point, are quick to point toward non-basketball reasons as the source of the Knicks’ downfall. The media is too cruel. The taxes are too high. Owner James Dolan is a tyrant in hibernation. So on and so forth.
But the Knicks aren’t good fit for Durant for mostly basketball reasons.
If Durant wants to contend for a title now, New York isn’t the place to do it. A core of himself, Anthony, Derrick Rose and Kristaps Porzingis doesn’t get you past the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Golden State Warriors. Without knowing who’s coming off the bench, there’s no guarantee the Knicks would be the second best team in the East.
In time, Porzingis could admittedly make Durant’s gambit worthwhile. He is that good. He could wedge open Durant’s title window wider and for longer. But the 2013-14 MVP has given no indication he wants to help headline a rebuild. If he leaves OKC, it should be to increase his chances of hoisting hardware immediately.
The Knicks, quite frankly, have no chance of offering him that opportunity.
