New York Knicks All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony is not getting any younger and as a championship seems elusive to him, it might be time for the 13-year veteran to pursue a ring with a different team.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News suggested that Anthony should now ask Knicks president of basketball operations Phil Jackson to ship him to a contending team, since another year with him in his prime is likely going to waste.
The Knicks are currently 11th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 23–30 record, and might be missing the postseason for a third consecutive year.
In Isola's report, he quoted Knicks head coach Derek Fisher who said, "The focus on the process is more important than the result."
That is unlikely different from what Anthony wants which is for the Knicks to enter the postseason for him to have a shot at winning a championship.
Isola also mentioned that Jackson and Anthony's plans are different, with the legendary coach gearing the franchise for the future, while the star forward wants to win now.
If the Knicks are looking ahead to the future, this means they do not aim to win a championship now, and helping Anthony capture his very first ring is not a major priority for them.
That is not good for the 31-year-old (third overall pick) franchise star who is the only top five player in the 2003 draft class who has yet to win a National Basketball Association (NBA) title.
Top pick LeBron James (two-time champion), second pick Darko Miličić (one-time champion), fourth pick Chris Bosh (two-time champion), and fifth pick Dwyane Wade (three-time champion) already raised the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy in their respective careers.
The concern is Anthony has a no-trade clause in his pact with the Knicks, so the team cannot trade him until he makes that decision.
