News broke on Wednesday that Carmelo Anthony is interested in joining Miami’s Big Three and turning it into a Fantastic Four. For this to happen, each member of the Big 3 would need to pass up around 10 million dollars a year, reducing their yearly figures to about 14 million per year. I understand that if this happens, most Knicks fans will reach for their torches and pitchforks before they even bat an eyelash, but they really shouldn’t.
I am a die-hard Knicks fan. But I am also a rational person who likes to put myself in someone else’s shoes every now and again.
Standing in Melo’s shoes, I see that the dilemma he faces — should I stay or should I go? — isn’t really a dilemma at all. On one hand, ‘Melo can stay in New York, and hang on the pipe dream that another superstar will join him in the 2015 offseason. A Knicks team headlined by Anthony and, let’s say, Kevin Love, is quite intriguing but not groundbreaking. That duo, even if it was supplemented by an extraordinary supporting cast, is probably not winning any championships. And that’s all hypothetical.
On the other hand, ‘Melo can “take his talents to South Beach” and compete for titles. ‘Melo, LeBron, Wade, and Bosh is such a scary foursome that some owners in the NBA will probably yell “COLLUSION!!” just at the sight of the Heat’s depth chart. And the triumvirate that ‘Melo would be joining already exists. Unlike the Knicks future plans, there is no risk that the team will strike out and end up grasping for straws. On top of that, Anthony wouldn’t just be playing with 3 future hall-of-famers, he would be playing with 3 of his best friends. How many things are there in life that you would rather do not surrounded by 3 of your best friends? For me, the answer is “not many”.
Now, the above paragraphs have tip-toed around the massive money disparity that exists between the two choices. With the Knicks, Melo can sign a 5 year extension at about 130 million dollars. If he signed with the Heat, he will easily leave 50 million dollars on the table.
I won’t pretend to be able to relate to the finances of multi-millionaires or that I would have the integrity to turn down an additional 50 million dollars, but I am familiar with the phrase “money can’t buy happiness”. If anyone watched, like, 30 seconds of a Knicks game this year you saw Melo display emotions ranging somewhere between exasperated and depressed. As a Knicks fan, I couldn’t help but think that he deserved better.
If he stays in New York, there is a chance that the twilight of Melo’s prime will erode away under the Garden’s lights, with one playoff series victory to show for it. If he re-signs, he will probably join the laundry list of NBA greats who never won a ring. Paging Karl Malone…Carmelo Anthony is on line 1. I want ‘Melo to have better. Miami is better. Miami can be legendary.
Carmelo has a chance to form the greatest iteration of one history’s — pending the results of this year’s finals — greatest teams. Becoming a part of NBA folklore is a rare opportunity that will be difficult to pass up.
The sports world we live in is paradoxical. We want our star-athletes to have an insatiable hunger for winning. Yet chastise them for creating “super teams”. We want them to do whatever it takes. But we get mad if they take less money.
Take 1,000 shots a day. Do more sprints. Hit the gym. Eat healthier. But don’t join that amazing team with a great head coach in that awesome city with no state tax. Yeaaaaaa, that totally makes sense.
‘Melo joining forces with three future hall-of-famers and admitting that he can’t do it on his own in New York, all to better his chances at a ring, is praiseworthy. If ‘Melo goes to Miami he will be called a “coward” and a “traitor” by many of the talking-heads that dominate the sports world. In my opinion, ‘Melo putting his pride to the wayside and accepting less money, stats, spotlight, etc., in Miami should fit right in with the prototype athlete we, the fans, dream about.
And that’s coming from a Knicks fan.
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