Melo-Drama Over: Carmelo, Billups Traded To Knicks

By KC Downey in Celtics, Featured, Top Story ⋅ February 22, 2011 at 2:26am ⋅ Post a comment

Carmelo Anthony (Image From http://seanmoney174.blogspot.com)

In a move months in the making, the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets finally pulled the trigger on a three-team, 12-player deal, that sends forward Carmelo Anthony and former Celtics guard Chauncey Billups to New York.

Trade Details

Knicks Get:	Nuggets Get:	T-Wolves Get:
F Carmelo Anthony G Chauncey Billups F Shelden Williams G Anthony Carter F Renaldo Balkman	F Wilson Chandler G Raymond Felton F Danilo Gallinari C Timofey Mozgov NY 1st Rd Pick (2014) GSW 2nd Rd Pick (2012) GSW 2nd Rd Pick (2013)	F Anthony Randolph C Eddy Curry $3 million (from NY)

The money sent to the Timberwolves will help Minnesota buy out the remaining few paychecks of Eddy Curry’s expiring $11.3 million salary.

Analysis

Obviously, the Knicks have made the right deal, though it came at a steep price.While they have reshaped their roster with the intention to join the Heat and Celtics on the top of the Eastern Conference, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The Knicks gave up four of their best six players in the trade, so rebuilding around Carmelo and Amare Stoudemire will take some time.

Will they win an NBA Title this year? No way. In the next three years? Maybe. Already armed with Stoudemire and Carmelo, the Knicks will probably look to add a premiere guard like Deron Williams or Chris Paul in free agency over the next few years to create yet another Big 3 in the East.