The New York Knicks have had trouble attracting premier talent to their team in recent years, but one instance in which they succeeded in that area was when they successfully acquired Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony joined the Knicks through a blockbuster trade in 2011. He played with the team for seven seasons and certainly left a mark on the organization.
As it turns out, former NBA big man Eddy Curry had a hand in getting Anthony to the Knicks.
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“I was the reason,” he said of Anthony getting to New York. “Facts, but for real, for real, it was crazy. I had a trade kicker in my — I had a no-trade clause, so they couldn’t trade me without my permission. But they needed my money to match up to get Carmelo. So it was a bunch of talks about it. And then finally one day, I was at the crib, and Donnie Walsh called me. … And he was like, ‘Man, Eddy, I’m sure you probably heard about the trade by now, but as you know, you got a trade clause, so we can’t do the trade unless you give us your blessing.’
“And I’m like, ‘Man, I’m ain’t gonna hold you up, man. Go ahead and do the trade, bro. I’ll sign off on it.’ And it happened just like that. But yeah, without me, Melo don’t go to New York.”
Curry played five seasons with the Knicks and delivered some of the best basketball of his career during that time. He averaged 15.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game with the team.
Of course, those numbers pale in comparison to the statistics Anthony was able to post with the Knicks. He averaged 24.7 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game during his stint with the team. He won the scoring title in the 2012-13 season and was the face of the franchise for years.
Since leaving New York, Anthony has become a journeyman player. He was actually out of the league for a while, and some people really thought his storied career had come to an end. He’s fought back, however, and has proven to be a highly effective role player.
Recently, there have been rumblings suggesting that the Knicks may have interest in bringing Anthony back. Although he would no longer be the offensive focal point of the team, it would be great to see him back in New York.
