The New York Knicks were viewed as one of the contenders in the Eastern Conference heading into 2013-14 NBA season, but they have been a big disappointment this season.
After winning more than 50 games last season, the Knicks are currently out of the playoff race with their 15-25 record. While it is too early to assume that the Knicks will miss this year's post-season, it is safe to say that Carmelo Anthony is growing frustrated in The Big Apple.
Anthony recently scored 28 points and grabbed seven boards, but his efforts were not enough as the Knicks took a 28-point beating in their game against East powerhouse Indiana Pacers.
After the game, the superstar forward called their loss "embarrassing" and "frustrating", which once again fueled the talks about his impending free agency after the current season.
Al Iannazzone of NewsDay reported that the Knicks should make a decision soon on whether to keep trying to make Anthony happy in New York or trade him before the deadline than running risks of losing him via free agency next summer.
"The Knicks have a month to make moves to entice Anthony to stay or to explore what they can get for him. That's the primary job of the Knicks' front office between now and the Feb. 20 trade deadline: Find out whether Anthony is fully committed to returning and what it will take," Iannazzone native.
But with Anthony's recent statements about their up-and-down season, NBA analysts believe that Anthony will strongly consider leaving the Knicks next summer to play for a team that could give him a better chance of winning his first NBA title.
The 29-year-old superstar made it no secret that he would test free agency after the season with reports suggesting that he has the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Clippers, and the Los Angeles Lakers on the short list of his preferred destination.
The Bulls and the Lakers will have plenty of cap space next summer to make a play for Anthony once he hits the free agency market. Both teams are not expected to push for a trade to acquire Anthony before the deadline, knowing that they could sign him without losing any asset next summer.
Previous rumors suggested that the Clippers and the Knicks internally discussed the possibility of trading Anthony and Blake Griffin. Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo is also reportedly on the Knicks radar.
But if the Knicks can't pull off trade or trades before the deadline that would make Anthony happy again in New York, the Knicks have no choice but to find a taker for the All-Star forward instead of losing him for nothing in July.
