National Basketball Association

Did Knicks mortgage future for 'Melo?

Published Feb. 22, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

For all the hoopla surrounding the NBA’s annual exercise in celebrity silliness — otherwise known as All-Star weekend — it lacked, shall I say, a proper denouement.

Friday night was about Justin Bieber, body double for the kid who won Daytona, winning the celebrity MVP. Sunday night was Rihanna, who looks like she could post up most of the Western Conference. In between, the supposed highlight of the entire weekend was Blake Griffin winning the dunk contest. Then again, jumping over a Kia Optima? What is that? If the guy really wanted to make a statement, the least he could’ve done was leap over a couple of Kardashian sisters.

But, alas, impatience is my vice (one of them, anyway). Apparently, the fitting end to the festivities didn’t come until Monday, when the Knicks finally traded for Carmelo Anthony. What could be more apropos? The first half of the season was a mass indulgence in ’Melo Mania. What would he do? Where would he go?

Was there ever this much attention devoted to a player who hasn’t had so much as a whiff of the finals?

No.

Hell no.

But the NBA, in general, is a celebrity-driven league, and the Knicks, in particular, always have evidenced a desperate fascination with the famous. Carmelo scores a lot of points and has an old lady named LaLa. What could be more perfect?

By the time you read this, the Knicks high command will have proclaimed once again that they were all in this together. Donnie Walsh will say he was all for it, all the way. But I’m laying 5-1 that Walsh was squarely against this deal.

You will soon hear that this came about like most bad things to have befallen the Knicks this century. It was James Dolan, whose dad gave him the Garden, listening to Isiah Lord Thomas III, coach of the Florida International University Golden Panthers, who are 9-17 as a member of the Sun Belt Conference.

And just wait until Dolan rehires Isiah. If there are any real basketball fans left in New York, Times Square will look like Tahrir Square last week. Good luck, Mayor Bloomberg.

As a recovering Knicks fan, I’m tempted to call this the Spencer Haywood saga revisited. The difference is, Spencer Haywood was a double-figure rebounder. Carmelo can score. And he can score. And that’s about it.

Here’s the real question: If Anthony was so good, how come Denver wasn’t better?

Last year, the Nuggets were eliminated by Utah in the first round.

The year before, with a pretty talented squad, they couldn’t get three games off the Lakers.

Look, he’s an offensive player. But he doesn’t defend. He doesn’t rebound. And he doesn’t make the guys around him any better. He might be able to put another team over the top, but not the Knicks.

The shame of it is the Knicks were inching toward respectability for the first time in a decade. They had a young roster that hadn't nearly approached its potential. The point guard, Raymond Felton, was only 26 and was averaging 17 points and nine assists. Danilo Gallinari, 22, was good for 16 points and five rebounds. Wilson Chandler, 23, was averaging 16.4 points and six rebounds. Then there was Timofey Mozgov, the 24-year-old Russian center. Who needs another burly 7-footer?

Now, they’re all gone.

In other words, the Knicks gave up their size and their youth for, basically, a max deal for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, who, at 34, is a fine point guard past his prime.

Do the math. Does it add up? Do the Knicks have a future?

Depends what kind of future you’re talking about. At 10:36 p.m. Monday, I got an email from NBAStore.com trying to sell me the new Knicks Carmelo Anthony jersey.

I’d rather have a Rihanna jersey.

Meanwhile, Billups reportedly will remain signed through the 2011-12 season. Then the Knicks can go after Deron Williams or Chris Paul. They'd better hope Carmelo works out. Or else Dolan and Isiah will be looking to sign Justin Bieber.