After a trade is finally made, the next logical question to ask is... Who won it? Or if you're not going to give us a clear winner, at least give us grades. That's exactly what ESPN's John Hollinger did for the Carmelo Anthony trade. Warning Knicks fans, you're not going to like what he has to say.
Hollinger gives the Knicks a D+ for the deal, mostly because there was no need for them to make it now.
Anthony became the first player in memory to issue a trade demand and then list one team that he'd accept a trade to. And then somehow, the Knicks decided to start bidding against themselves and repeatedly agreed to up the ante in the final hours.
It was pretty clear that Anthony wanted to come to New York to play for the Knicks. The Nets put the full court press on him twice to get him to sign an extension and he wouldn't do it. He was set on coming to New York whether it was through trade or as a free agent next year. However, rather than just wait until next season to get him, the Knicks gutted their roster of all the good young complimentary players that could have been the compliment to the Melo and Stoudamire combo. What's worse, this move doesn't really put the Knicks in the league of Boston, Miami, or Chicago this season. Had they held on to everything they gave up and added Melo next season, maybe they could have been serious contenders. Now, they're basically starting over again. They're doing it with two great players, which isn't bad... but given what they could have done, it seems like a pretty silly move.
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