Nobody on this message board should be surprised by this turn in events - which ultimately led to Carmelo Anthony ending up in a Knicks uniform.  I laid this scenario out a week ago and it played out exactly as I said it would.  Do not be surprised if the next big announcement you hear is that Isiah Thomas is back with the Knicks in some sort of official capacity. 

After the Nets initially pulled out of these trade talks over a month ago, I had suggested trade scenarios where the Nets could actually help the Knicks acquire Carmelo Anthony and in return end up with some Knicks assets (I suggested Landry Fields). The reaction was that I was crazy; that the Nets would never help the Knicks.  Comically our biggest hope of redemption now is to land Gallinari from the Nuggets......

And as soon as a few days ago - most fans wanted to believe that the Nets offer was far superior to the Knicks.  Fact of the matter was that what the Knicks sent to the Nuggets is much better than what we were sending - as we were sending a raw big man and picks that may or may not be as valuable as many fans think they will be.  For a team looking for a quick rebuilding process - the Nuggets went the safe route of acquiring established players, a couple young players and draft pick. 

Ultimately this works out best for the Nets as well - as we are in a rebuilding process and Carmelo was not going to make us into an instant contender. We forced the Knicks to give up half of their team for Carmelo, and honestly, this new Knicks team is not going to be superior to what they have already had.  They gave up half their rotation, and took back some scrub players in return (notice how Balkman went to the Knicks........really don't think Isiah involved?). The Knicks gave up a lot in this deal - when from day 1 the only team Denver was going to be able to deal him to was the Knicks.

We get to keep our picks and our young players and build from within. However the Nets have definitely caused irreversible damage to much of their roster and have definitely alienated Harris and Favors and possibly Lopez as well.  This was handled amateurishly from the start and I have very little faith in our front office after watching this play out.  I am not sure I have ever seen a trade in any sports league (or any business deal for that matter) handled worse from the start and for such a long period of time.


The other thing I find most laughable however, is how so many Knicks fans and the media want to appoint CP3 or Deron Williams as the next  Knick PG. There is no chance the Knicks are going to have the cap flexibility to surround Amare and Carmelo with any talent around them whatsoever on account of the sure to be lower salary cap which most likely will be a hard cap. So the Knicks will have a roster of Carmelo, Amare and a lot of filler for the next 4 years - which will look even worse once Amare's body breaks down on account of the high minutes he has been forced to play.

And this is also a sad day for the NBA when a star player can dictate the moves of every front office in the NBA - as they were all held hostage by Carmelo and his agents.