It has now been almost eleven and a half years since the blockbuster trade that sent Carmelo Anthony from the Denver Nuggets to the New York Knicks. The Nuggets sent Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter, and Renaldo Balkman to the Knicks for Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Timofey Mozgov, a 2014 first-round pick, two second round picks in 2012 & 2013 (Originally belonged to the Warriors.), and $3 million in cash.
Revisiting The Carmelo Anthony Knicks Trade
The trade happened in February of 2011. It was a granting of Anthony’s wish to be traded. It was an interesting trade, as it involved nine players, three draft picks, and cash considerations.
Denver Nuggets Trade Grade: B+
Denver was able to get multiple good, young players and picks in exchange for a guy that didn’t want to be there, a good but aging point guard, and a few back end of the roster guys. They made out pretty well with it. Gallinari and Chandler were a big part of the team in the following years. The only reason their grade isn’t higher is because they unfortunately were never able to do anything with it. They never got out of the first round the next few years. Then the team fell apart when new/soon-to-be Hall of Famer George Karl was fired in 2013, just 29 days after being named NBA Coach Of The Year and leading the Nuggets to a franchise-best 57-23 record.
New York Knicks Trade Grade: D+
As we all know, the Knicks were extremely disappointing after pairing Anthony with Amar’e Stoudemire. Who knows what could have happened if they hadn’t given up those young players, or if the Nuggets had accepted the Nets’ trade offer instead of the Knicks’. But this trade never worked out for the Knicks had hoped it would. Sure Anthony was great while in a Knicks uniform, he was an All-Star every year he was with the team. But the team never had much success. The only really good season that they had with Anthony on the team was in 2012-2013 when they went 54-28. But even that year they got bounced in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
