Carmelo Anthony is playing well with the Portland Trail Blazers, the only team that has had a chance with him this NBA season. There is no telling what will happen to the 36-year-old player, although there are hints about his return to the New York Knicks. And the reason mentioned for this is because new team president Leon Rose is a huge fan of the 10-times NBA All-Star.
For those who followed the story between Anthony and the Knicks, things didn’t go well the last time. Melo adapted for them from 2011 to 2017. He was allegedly exchanged for the Oklahoma City Thunder in September 2017, ending a forgettable assignment with the Knicks. In light of this, seeing the third overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft returning to Gotham would initially seem far-fetched. But with a new brass top that calls the shots, the chances of that happening have changed dramatically.
Marc Bergman of the New York Post suggests that Anthony’s return to the Knicks could go down. He adds that Anthony may want to end his career in New York and Rose’s entry further supports this claim. At 36, Melo is approaching the twilight of his career and finishing him off with the Knicks could end his historic NBA career.
Assuming it is done, the changes will be made especially in the rotation. Some players may be relegated to a backup role if Anthony returns to the Knicks fold. And a name that many see it doing is Julius Randle.
The 25-year-old has been a revelation in past years, he eventually came out of his shell when he played for the New Orleans pelicans. Although his numbers declined slightly when he joined the Knicks, they remain impressive. Randle has played 64 games this season, averaging 19.5 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per Basketball-Reference.com. But these numbers could take a dip if he is relegated to the bench.
Critics believe that Randle might be better off the bench. If Anthony returns to Gotham, many see him as likely to start in New York. Anthony has played in 50 games this season with an average of 15.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists. It remains a deadly offensive weapon even if those numbers are lower than his career averages.