5 NBA players that need a change of scenery

1. Carmelo Anthony – New York Knicks

As a fan of the New York Knicks, it pains me to mention Carmelo Anthony for this list. However, I have to call things how I see it. Before I begin, I will acknowledge that there’s less than a one percent chance for Melo to go anywhere. He is one of three players in the league that has a no-trade clause along with LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki.

Therefore, he controls his own destiny and his goal is to win a championship for his birth state. He is also being paid a max salary playing in one of the biggest markets in the league. There’s almost no reason for him to want to leave the Big Apple, but please take note of the keyword “almost.”

Anthony’s career is full of achievements and accolades that most players can only dream of. He’s a nine-time All-Star, a six-time All-NBA selection and a former scoring champion. Carmelo is also a three-time Olympic gold medalist and widely considered to be one of the most prolific offensive players in league history.

As a result, he is a virtual lock to be in the Hall of Fame when he chooses to retire. However, as is the case with other prolific Hall of Famers such as Charles Barkley, Melo owns zero championship rings. It’s actually a shame that he doesn’t have one since players like him deserve it. Unfortunately, in order for him to win a ring, he may need to leave New York.

Although the Knicks have a future mega-star in Kristaps Porzingis along with the additions of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, it’s not enough to win the East right now. New York can continue to build around the core of Melo, Porzingis and Rose, but it will come at a cost down the road.

At age 32, Anthony only has two to three years of elite level basketball left in him. The Knicks may be closer to being a serious contender at that point, but it’ll likely be too late for Anthony to win a ring. He’s in a “win now” situation and other teams are better equipped to deliver that for him.

Teams in the East such as the Celtics and Raptors give Melo a much better chance of winning now. Additionally, if he somehow ended up in Cleveland with LeBron, then his chances for a ring greatly increase. Even teams in the west like the Los Angeles Clippers provide a better chance for Anthony to win right now before he’s past his prime.

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Selfishly, I hope that I never see Melo in any uniform other than the Knicks. However, as a fan of the player, I feel that he deserves to have “NBA champion” written on his resume. In order for that to happen, I fear that it requires a change of scenery for him.