New York Knicks Trade Rumors: Is Home Loss To Milwaukee Bucks The Last Straw?
New York Knicks trade rumors have been brewing again, with a recent video of coach Jeff Hornacek walking away from Carmelo Anthony getting hotly debated by fans. Then the Knicks blew a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night (Jan. 4), showcasing that the roster might be even more troubled than previously imagined. Is the franchise now heading straight for a fire sale before the NBA trade deadline?
Following the ugly loss to the Bucks, the Knicks are now tenth place in the updated NBA standings. At just 16-19 on the season, the Knicks have fallen to 10 1/2 games behind the Cleveland Cavaliers (26-8) in the Eastern Conference and 7 1/2 games behind the Toronto Raptors in the Atlantic Division. Hopes of making the 2017 NBA Playoffs are quickly evaporating for fans in Madison Square Garden. It might just be time for Knicks team president Phil Jackson to thrown in the towel.
A report by USA Today illustrates what took place between coach Jeff Hornacek and All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, underscoring why so many New York Knicks trade rumors have surfaced over the past few days. With the Knicks driving on offense and the team running a play, Anthony received the ball and decided to call his own number. Anthony signaled for the rest of the team to clear out, backed further away from the basket, and ran another isolation play for himself. Video of the sequence can be seen in the USA Today article.
Almost as soon as Anthony got the ball and called for the clear out, Hornacek had turned his back on the play and began walking to the Knicks bench. Anthony ended up missing a contested jump shot as NBA fans everywhere saw the play progress right in front of them. The entire sequence could be called a microcosm of what has gone wrong with the franchise since the day it completed a trade with the Denver Nuggets to acquire Anthony. It also showed how Anthony might not be listening to the instructions of his latest coach.
On Wednesday night, the team almost bounced back with a win over the Milwaukee Bucks. Jeff Hornacek and Carmelo Anthony were nearly able to keep the latest New York Knicks trade rumors at an arm’s length, but instead, the team completely melted down in the fourth quarter. NBA analysts have blamed player substitutions, lack of roster depth, and even a distrust of the current coaching style of Hornacek. No matter which person gets the most blame from Knicks fans, it has become very clear that the current roster isn’t getting it done on the court.
So what’s next for the Knicks? Phil Jackson actually has a few assets to work with and has the opportunity to turn over the roster quite easily. Point guards Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings are in the final seasons of their current contracts, while Carmelo Anthony likely has only one season remaining on his deal. Anthony also has a player option for the 2018-19 NBA season, but it is one that he is expected to opt out of in favor of a new long-term deal. That would make it easier for a new franchise to absorb his short-term salary.
When the Knicks started out the 2016-17 NBA season on a roll, there were various NBA trade rumors stating that the team could become buyers on the market. Rather than breaking up the team, it seemed like the Knicks were trying to add more assets to play with the current roster. That idea has shifted quite a bit, with the Knicks now losing six straight games and falling further in the standings. The NBA trade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on February 23, giving the New York Knicks ample time to either regroup or let the league know a fire sale is taking place.
[Featured Image by Michael Reaves/Getty Images]
