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New York Knicks: Carmelo Anthony Has Enough Help To Win

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:11 p.m. ET

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The New York Knicks may need time before winning a championship is a realistic expectation, but Carmelo Anthony has enough help to get back to the playoffs.

Mar 28, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Knicks 99-91. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Regardless of whom you blame for this being true, it’s been quite some time since Carmelo Anthony had enough help to win. Since Anthony led the New York Knicks to 54 wins in 2012-13, the front office has imploded.

Thanks to the offseason work of team president Phil Jackson, Anthony finally has enough help to win again.

This may sound like the traditional excuse for why a player isn’t leading his team to an NBA championship, but in New York, it’s been true. Merely evaluating the rosters and coaches Anthony has played on and for is evidence enough.

Anthony isn’t exactly devoid of blame for the Knicks’ shortcomings, but he’s been cut some slack by the general basketball population.

Fresh off of a historic third Olympic gold medal, Anthony will have enough help to make the Knicks a winning team again. He’s 32 years old and entering the twilight of his career, but he still has enough left in the tank to win at a high level.

Though many are skeptical about how much the Knicks will be able to achieve with the current roster, Anthony should be able to lead New York to a successful season.

Dec 16, 2015; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks general manager Phil Jackson looks on during a stop in play against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of an NBA basketball game at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

Phil Jackson: Building Around ‘Melo

The biggest knock on Phil Jackson as team president has been the absence of a sense of urgency with Carmelo Anthony on a roster. 2014-15 was a tanking year and 2015-16 was a season of underachievement.

According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, The Zen Master has made winning while Anthony is still a star a priority.

In other words, the current team has been built around Anthony.

Jackson isn’t your average head coach turned executive; he’s a 13-time NBA champion who won 11 rings as a head coach.  He’s a master at managing egos and motivating players to play for something bigger than themselves.

If Jackson and head coach Jeff Hornacek are able to do that with the hungry veteran team that is the 2016-17 Knicks, victory should be attainable.

The roster has been built with the specific intention of helping Anthony do so.

Anthony is a dynamic scoring threat who can do it all in isolation. He’s also a lethal catch-and-shoot marksman who’s at his best when given the opportunity to work off-ball and shoot in rhythm.

Jackson created an offense that will enable Anthony to do so and a defense that will both mask his flaws and stabilize his responsibility.

Jan 17, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek in the first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The Coach

The New York Knicks had an opportunity to hire two of the most respected coaches in the NBA: Tom Thibodeau and Frank Vogel. With Thibodeau joining the Minnesota Timberwolves and Vogel the Orlando Magic, however, that dream never came to fruition.

The coach whom team president Phil Jackson had his eyes set on from the start just so happens to be the perfect coach for Carmelo Anthony: Jeff Hornacek.

Hornacek made an immediate splash as a head coach when he led the Phoenix Suns to 48 wins in 2013-14. For perspective, the Suns won 25 games the previous season with a relatively similar roster.

Arguably the biggest offseason acquisition between 2012-13 and 2013-14, Eric Bledsoe, missed 39 games—a hurdle that Hornacek readily overcame.

Hornacek also had Phoenix above .500 before it traded both Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas at the 2015 All-Star Break.

The runner-up to Gregg Popovich for Coach of the Year in 2013-14, Hornacek is the perfect coach to help Anthony succeed. He runs a motion offense that gives all five players a role and scorers more efficient opportunities to fill it up.

Hornacek will also hold his players accountable defensively, which is what matters most in this instance: he coaches both ends of the floor.

Mar 24, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) shoots the ball in front of Chicago Bulls guard Derrick Rose (1) during first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Firepower

In terms of pure personnel, the New York Knicks don’t have an elite offensive unit. Between the individual specialties of the players, the upside of the heir to Carmelo Anthony’s throne, and the coaching prowess of Jeff Hornacek, Top 10 production is a realistic goal.

Anthony’s a dominant enough scorer to anchor an offensive attack, but in 2016-17, he should have enough help to lead a productive all-around group.

Derrick Rose ranked No. 9 in the NBA with 6.9 points via drives per game in 2015-16. By comparison, the Knicks ranked dead last in the Association with 10.4 points via drives per game—just 3.5 more than Rose had individually.

Throw in the arrival of sixth man Brandon Jennings, who boasts career averages of 15.5 points, 5.9 assists, and 1.8 3-point field goals made per game, and point guard should be a strength.

That alone is an upgrade over the 2015-16 situation, when neither Jose Calderon nor Jerian Grant consistently created offense for themselves or others.

Courtney Lee and Justin Holiday are both capable 3-point shooters who should help space the floor at shooting guard. Joakim Noah is a brilliant passer, Lance Thomas can do a bit of everything, and the sky is the limit for Kristaps Porzingis.

As Porzingis enters his second NBA season with invaluable experience under his belt, he should round out an offense that ideally complements Anthony.

Dec 2, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (13) reacts after dunking the ball during the game against the Denver Nuggets at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Caylor Arnold-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive Assets

The New York Knicks are building a team that somewhat mirrors the structure of Phil Jackson’s championship squads. There’s a big point guard, two rim protectors, a high-energy perimeter defender, and a dynamic perimeter scorer.

The comparison is quite loose, but on the defensive end of the floor, the Knicks have the potential to be a Top 10-to-15 team in 2016-17.

The heart and soul of the Knicks’ defense will be what projects to be one of the best interiors in the NBA. Kristaps Porzingis was Top 20 in the NBA in defensive field goal percentage at the rim in 2015-16, while Joakim Noah won Defensive Player of the Year in 2013-14.

Along the perimeter, the combination of Courtney Lee, Justin Holiday, and Lance Thomas will be tasked with containing the opposition’s best scorers.

There are admittedly holes in the defensive rotation, but there should be at least three high-quality defenders on the court at all times.

The question marks can be found at point guard and small forward. Carmelo Anthony improved his defensive consistency a season ago, which is a promising sign, but neither Brandon Jennings nor Derrick Rose are known to be great defenders.

Jennings does an excellent job of creating turnovers, however, which is something that head coach Jeff Hornacek should be able to work with.

Dec 4, 2015; New York, NY; New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) and forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) run on the court in the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 108-91. Mandatory Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports

Realistic Expectations

Having outlined why Carmelo Anthony has enough help to win, the rational question is as follows: what’s a realistic goal? The New York Knicks admittedly may not have a championship-caliber team—not yet, at least—but the ceiling is quite high.

No matter what outsiders are saying, the Knicks should be able to secure at least one round of home court advantage and one postseason series win.

The Knicks shouldn’t accept anything less than 45 victories during the 2016-17 NBA regular season. 50 wins should be more of a target, although the number itself isn’t what should be on New York’s agenda.

The key for the Knicks will be earning a spot as one of the Top 4 teams in the Eastern Conference, thus securing a round of home court advantage in the 2017 NBA Playoffs.

If New York succeeds in doing so, then reaching the second round should be an attainable goal.

New York has the offensive firepower and defensive capabilities to comfortably win 45 games in the Eastern Conference. Injury concerns certainly exist, but Anthony should be able to lead this team to the playoffs.

A championship may or may not be in the writing for the Knicks in 2016-17, but a deep postseason run certainly is.

At the very least, Anthony has enough help to make the 2017 NBA Playoffs and win a series.

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