Carmelo Anthony would love nothing more than to team up with Kevin Durant on the New York Knicks.
Fueled by Phil Jackson’s shovel that has dug the team out of a hole, the Knicks stand in a position to make a big splash this summer after having already added Derrick Rose via trade and Kristaps Porzingis looking like a star of the future.
For Anthony, the best possible big move is convincing Durant to come to town, according to ESPN’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
Stein added comments from Anthony in the full writeup:
You know, for me, it’s more just about just laying it all out for him, giving him the real.
Being in that situation before and knowing how much he has to think about and what he has go through, him not wanting to leave Oklahoma [after] all the time that he spent there, I felt the same way when I was in Denver, spending 7½ years there and then to have to make a decision. But you leave it up to him. He’s going to make the best decision for him. I think that’s the most important thing.
If there’s someone who can offer strong advice about leaving a smaller Western Conference team, it’s Anthony. He’s also got an interesting pitch given the prestige of the Knicks, including the location, as well as what looks like a roster ready to make a postseason push each year.
Convincing Durant won’t be easy, though. Odds seem strong Durant sticks with the team that came up just short of a Finals appearance, at least for a few more years. If he does decide to leave, he’ll have contenders such as the San Antonio Spurs and Golden State Warriors offering the same cash as the Knicks, but a better shot at a title.
Keep in mind, too, Durant and Anthony on the court together would be an interesting feat, which is putting it nicely when one also recalls Rose hasn’t always been the best pass-first point guard. Maybe there aren’t so many shots to go around somewhere such as Golden State, either, but it’s easier for a guy like Durant to swallow if the team wins a title.
Either way, Anthony joins a long list of people probably in Durant’s ear right now. He’s one of the most notable, but that doesn’t mean it will work.
