Opinions vary on how the New York Knicks stack up against the other top teams in the NBA. They have shown that they can hang with the elite teams, but beating them consistently has been a challenge.
The Knicks have done a great job of putting together a strong roster that is deep across the board. But, they are lacking that go-to, No. 1 star to get them over the hump. We have seen Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson do it for stretches, but for New York to get to that next level, a trade may need to be done.
That is an opinion many NBA analysts share, and it turns out, even former players. During a recent episode of the “7 pm in Brooklyn with Carmelo Anthony & The Kid Mero”, the future NBA Hall of Famer gave his honest assessment of where his former team is currently at.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, Carmelo Anthony, Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks Updates
He spoke highly of the current group, as he is a fan of Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. Their presence helps the Knicks overwhelm opponents in the paint, creating second-chance points and easy looks for the team.
“You have presence in the paint…best shotblocker in the game arguably…
“You have a force in Julius…he’s a force…he just gotta learn when to go, when not to go. Angles. Boom boom. You know what I mean?…You put him as the next guy—next to The Guy—it could be special. But when you have the pressures of trying to do that every night, day in and day out, day in and day out, it’s very hard…,” Anthony said.
The brand of basketball which the Knicks currently play enables them to be in every game. They are going to bring energy and effort every night regardless of the opponent and circumstances they are facing. That is the DNA of Tom Thibodeau-led teams.
Can that style of play, with the currently constructed roster, get over the top in the playoffs? That remains to be seen. The Knicks aren’t going to make things easy for their opponent, but they still feel to be lacking something.
That something is a player like Anthony was during his career. He also discussed what placing him on a roster like the one New York currently has would have been like.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Julius Randle, Carmelo Anthony, Mitchell Robinson, New York Knicks Updates
“Me with that team…that would’ve been a special team…,” Anthony said.
When the Knicks acquired him from the Denver Nuggets, Anthony would have killed to have a roster like this around him. Given all of the assets they surrendered to land him, New York was left with a barebones roster, capping their ceiling despite having a superstar pairing with him and Amar’e Stoudemire.
Under Thibodeau, the Knicks have matched the same level of success which Anthony had in the postseason. To surpass that level, they need to find a player of that caliber to bring it all together and put them on par with the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, who have Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to rely on.
Want the latest NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
Interested in reading the latest storylines and analysis in the NFL? Check out our partner NFL Analysis Network.
