The Knicks finally got Carmelo Anthony and all it took was trading two of their top three wing players, their point guard, a young 7-footer, draft picks and $6 million of cash. All that for a player who is not a top-10 talent and who in seven years in the NBA has made it out of the first round of the playoffs once.

In the process, the Knicks got significantly older at the point by swapping Ray Felton for Chauncey Billups and dumped two shooters — Wilson Chandler and Danilo Ganillari — for two forwards who can’t shoot — Corey Brewer and Renaldo Balkman. They also sold a good chunk of their future by surrendering a No. 1 draft pick in 2014 and two second-rounders obtained from Golden State.

As it played out, it became apparent that Anthony wanted no part of a trade to anywhere except New York, so the Knicks also pulled off the rare trick of upping the price in a trade while bidding against themselves.

There’s also no telling how the future of the NBA will look once a new collective bargaining agreement is in place. Once Anthony signs his long-rumored extension, he and Amar’e Stoudemire will lock up a huge portion of whatever salary cap is in place, which could mean that the likes of Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard would be beyond their financial grasp in 2012 when Billups comes off the books.

But hey, they got their man.

It’s not as if Anthony is a bad player. He and Stoudemire form a potent scoring combination at forward, assuming they can work out how to play together. It’s just a question of how much his services are really worth. Smart teams understand value and this deal is not smart. The Knicks were played like desperate teenagers on the last day of a binge in Tijuana, and if it’s true that Isiah Thomas is really pulling the strings, then they got what they deserved.

The Knicks spent the last two years undoing the wreckage that Thomas wrought and they were finally were able to put an actual basketball team on the floor. It wasn’t a team that was going to win a championship this year or next, but it was one with assets and flexibility and now most of that is gone.

In the short-term, the new-look Knicks may have upped the star power, but they aren’t going to be beat the Celtics, Heat or Bulls. There are too many holes, especially up front where Ronny Turiaf is the only defensive-minded big man left standing. Their defense, not exactly a strength to begin with, won’t get any better with Billups and Anthony guarding the perimeter.

The NBA future holds nothing but uncertainty, and the Celtics future is cloudier than most. Beyond Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce, the Celtics have none of their top 12 players under contract beyond next season. Presumably Kendrick Perkins will be part of the equation and possibly Glen Davis as well.

As the dust settles from the Melo drama, ask yourself this: Would you rather have the Celtics’ present? Absolutely. Then ask yourself if you would rather have a roster with Rondo, Perkins and a well-run front office calling the shots or Stoudemire, Anthony and dysfunctional chaos?

The Knicks got their man. Whether they can do anything else will ultimately tell if the whole thing was worth it.

28 Comments for “What the Carmelo Anthony trade means for the Celtics”

1. nunya Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 10:51 am

   I’m not a Knicks fans at all but even I recognize that this is over-blowing the negative for New York to a ridiculous degree…

2. Sean Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 10:52 am

   you know who else only made it out of the first round once before getting traded? Kevin Garnett. you know who else supposedly “gave away” their future in trading for KG? The Celtics. pot, meet kettle.

3. Tal Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 10:52 am

   HATER! What is Rondo without Garnett and Allen and Pierce in two years? Seriously? One title and your team is suddenly a dynasty?

4. G Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 11:22 am

   Umm Sean the celtics got kg gift wrapped for nothing what future did they trade away

5. Rob Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 11:23 am

   Everyone is talking about what the new CBA will do to the Knicks but what about the Celtics and Heat? How do they expect to keep their players under a hard cap? Perkins is a free agent this year. Under the new CBA they have no shot of re-signing him.

6. briles Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 11:31 am

   Wowww sean good job pointing out all the negatives. Unfortunately it wasnt isiah who put this deal together and its been confirmed that they will have enough money to sign another big free agent next year. Get your facts straight jerk!

7. chris Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 11:34 am

   Carmelo is not a top 10 talent that is just not true. I believe he is the best scorer in the league he can score at any spot on the floor. He is not as good as wade or lebron cause of there defense but he can shoot ten times better than both of them.

8. chris Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 11:37 am

   And ur last question is stupid cause you know paul or deron is goin to the knicks and rondo and perkins highlightin a team there’s a big question who is goin 2 score cause perkins has stone hands

9. Jacob Says:
   February 22nd, 2011 at 11:37 am

   1. Knicks will most likely not win anything until they get deeper

   2. I don’t see KG leaving, next year (vets min?). After next year, Celtics will have money to play with

   3. Knicks dont have Coaching or Role/Bench players Celtics had, plus onyl 2 stars, not 3.

   4. Celtics are a dynasty because they went to 2 finals (should be three) and will prob get to their third this year and if they win, thats 2 titles, 3 finals in 4 years. Also winning over 60 a couple of times helps.

10. Mohandas Gandhi Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 11:46 am

    lol, the other people are picked up on this. This is a terrible article, completely biased, and I HATE the Knicks (I’m a Heat fan).

11. BrooklynsFinest Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 11:54 am

    Are u serious melo and chancy on the Knicks as much as they shouldn’t have gave those draft picks this is a big trade now stoudamire has some tallent on his team I’m pumped to see this season end and to see next season as of right now this is a positive trade for the knicks I think it leaves nuggets with a bunch of maybes but we will see who plays better after the trade

12. Liz Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 11:55 am

    biased? well, this is a Celtics blog, pal.

13. Dave Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 11:55 am

    I was led to believe (by the title, weird I know) that this article would detail how this affects the Celtics. No mention of how it affects the Celtics though.

14. Paul Flannery's Mom Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 11:59 am

    Go f*ck yourself. We demolished the Bulls twice this season already. Lemme guess u didnt see those games? you were probably sucking off kg, ray allen and Paul “flop artist” Pierce. Listen to your mom and go f*ck yourself. hating on the knicks cuz ur trio in boston has a combined age of 120 and knicks are still young with two of the leagues best scorers playing side by side.

15. Paul Flannery's Mom Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 12:00 pm

    This article has nothing to do with the celtics. Only bashing the knicks.

16. stanford Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 12:10 pm

    negative !!!!!!!

17. brysimpson Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Knicks hater here. The Knicks won this trade and this article is biased to an absurd level. Reference Sam Pollock, the Montreal Canadian GM who Bruins fans can remember as a bear eater, “whoever got the best player won the trade”…Knicks got the top two in Anthony and Billups.
    What did they give up: 6m is chump change for Knicks, new picks can be bought later( a late first is worth 3m and 2nds are less than 3m, again chump change), all the bigs are marginal players, Felton for Billups Knicks win, Chandler and Gallinari < Anthony Knicks win big time.
    Maybe Paul Flannery is biased out of fear?
    *Also, Brewer goes to Denver not Knicks*

18. Bond007 Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Easy now… I can bet you all that the Knicks weighed out the positives and benefits on the whole melo trade. Although Felton and galanari are both good and young, with this trade billups, amare, and melo all have massive experience with eachother. The Knicks need team chemistry and that is primarily what they never had. Dude u serious….. Melo and billups… That’s deadly. Everyone watch because the Knicks are coming

19. noyesmakah Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 12:23 pm

    WOW some people don’t know much about anything..LMAO CELTICS 4 LIFE…. Its our turn to start rebuilding soon.. Look out when they do.!!!!

20. soxwin55 Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 1:15 pm

    big deal what has that loser ever won…he couldn’t make the weak nuggets contenders why would he make the weak loser nothing knicks contenders hahaha enjoy last place mello o ya your use to that

21. hank Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    I’m a knicks fan and I hate this trade with a passion. Anyone remember Stephon Marbury?

22. Pete Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 2:10 pm

    Wow, I thought J Jacobs was a terrible Owner, Dolan takes the cake.
    I am a BIG TIME HATER OF ALL THINGS NY here…..If Zeke Thomas is helping…then heaven help the NY Knicks…again, I hate them. Zeke is the biggest moron to ever wear a GM, Coach or Basketball Executive hat…he ruined the Raptors, could not coach a good Pacers team after LB got them to the Finals AND he completely destroyed the CBA League. He then gets his “dream” job and completely kills the NY Knicks for a couple of years. Are you f-ing kidding me James Dolan? I would not let Dolan OR Zeke run a water stand in the desert.
    Flannery, this is the dumbest article….you did not even mention how this effects the Celtics.

    The ONLY thing that scares me…C Billups. He can and will hit big shots.

23. GJP Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 2:31 pm

    This trade is virtually identical to the KG trade, except getting a 26 yr old instead of a 30 yr. The best player gained by the losing teams (Nuggets or wolves) was Big Al, a big man starter on any team. Felton vs Chauncey is push or slight advantage to NY and age doesn’t matter because felton was temporary anyway. Chandler makes up the difference for getting a player in their prime rather than on knee crumbling down slope. You sound soooooo scared and you should be!

24. Classless Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 3:43 pm

    I would mortgage the future for a young, big man, but not for wingman who scores and doesn’t make his teammates better (Anthony). Size wins in the NBA (Spurs, Celtics, Lakers). NY is now super small, and with Diantoni’s 7 man rotation and non-commitment to defense, this team is 1st round fodder.

25. diesel Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    I hate to say it but this is a good trade for the Knicks…They didn’t give up any all stars or future all stars and just how it seems like the NY stage is bringing out the best in Amare it might do the same for Melo…He’s been just kind of languishing out there in Denver. He was the only frosh to lead his team to an NCAA title so he might have some “team carrying” skills lying dormant somewhere. However they still aren’t a threat to the C’s for this yr and next yr and they’re still another star and depth away from being title contenders. The Bulls and the Heat are the future for the Eastern conference and the Knicks will have cap issues after Melo re-ups. I know Knicks fans think that after 2012 they’ll land either Paul, Williams or Howard but they’ll have some stiff competition from teams like the Lakers, just as desirable location and big stage and Dallas, as Mark Cuban seems to be in on every big move…

26. GJP Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 4:49 pm

    Yeah, well they already have 1 of the top 3-5 big men in the league so this move is for a second superstar that can score from anywhere on the floor. Something like a rich man’s pierce. What future was mortgaged? Galo and Chandler? Chandler is solid and his ceiling is what? Hopefully something like Carmelo! Galo? Oh, how can the knicks ever replace a slow-footed, foreign 3-point shooter? Where will the find him? Defense is the only issue…

27. xxjoeyxx Says:
    February 22nd, 2011 at 5:34 pm

    mello will score 30 a game………..and give up 32 a game.

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