The NY Knicks are having a very tough season and the team may look at trades if Carmelo Anthony shuts it down, as names like Iman Shumpert, Amar'e Stoudemire, Andrea Bargnani, JR Smith, Tim Hardaway and Jose Calderon could be targets at the deadline for Phil Jackson and head coach Derek Fisher.
The Knicks knew that this season would be tough, but Jackson did not expect things to go bad this quickly and now Anthony is dealing with knee issues and could shut it down eventually. According to ESPN.com, Anthony said that he plans on playing through pain and that he isn't thinking of shutting things down just because the team is not playing well. Anthony also said that the team would be in even worse shape without head coach Derek Fisher, who has been getting some major criticism from the press this season.
It was the 19th loss in the last 20 games for the Knicks and they are heading for a lottery pick this season rather than the playoffs. The team will have plenty of money to spend with players coming off of the books, but with how bad things have gone it could be tough to lure a top free agent. The Knicks planned on targeting Rajon Rondo before his trade to the Dallas Mavericks, but now it's likely that he will be staying with the team on an extension.
If Rondo ends up hitting the market he will be a target for the Knicks, Lakers and Rockets along with Dragic. Marc Gasol and Greg Monroe are also hitting the market and wit Gasol likely staying in Memphis, Monroe should get plenty of attention as well. The Knicks will have cap space and room to build, but after playing so bad this season some players may not want to join up. Dragic is going to be a target and he said that he will not rule out the Knicks, while Pro Basketball Talk reports the Lakers and the Rockets will be the top targets along with the Suns.
Stoudemire and Bargnani are set to come off the books after this season and that could make them attractive trade options at the deadline. They both are making a decent amount of money, but since they are expiring deals, teams heading towards the playoffs may want them for some extra support. Shumpert has been a trade target for teams over the past couple years, while Tim Hardaway and Jose Calderon also could be potential options.
The Knicks are just 5-29 this season and have been one of the worst teams overall in the league, averaging just 94 points per game. The team is ranked 28th in points per game this season, 21st in points allowed and 29th in rebounds per game this year. Anthony has been doing what he can, but he is not enough on his own and is averaging 23 points per game. The Knicks got blown out by the Clippers and they will play against the Pistons and the Bucks next on the schedule.
