Carmelo Anthony is often described as one of the most natural scorers ever because he could inherently fit into any system. Melo was the number one option for most of his career, as he thrived in isolation and post-ups. However, Anthony also showed proficiency as an off-ball scorer in his later years, which showed his versatility.
Now that he has retired, Carmelo become more of a media personality, but he still throws out some hypotheticals about his skill set. A good example is Melo's recent assertion that he would be a perfect fit for the New York Knicks as their top scorer, or at least, the second option to Jalen Brunson.
"I think the way that I play, I would definitely get to the line more. Even early in my career, I would get to the line 10, 11, 12 times. People forget about that, I got to the line, I learned how to draw fouls," Melo said on his 7PM in Brooklyn show. "If I'm able to bring that today's game where I can still draw fouls… Honestly, with this team, I would say I'm averaging 28."
Carmelo is a good fit with the current Knicks
A team like the current Knicks roster would have been the perfect squad for Carmelo. This unit has a superstar point guard in Brunson, who is primarily a scoring guard, but he can also facilitate for the rest of the team. That is a perfect partner for Anthony, as he played with plenty of talented guards like Damian Lillard, Allen Iverson, and Chauncey Billups.
Aside from Brunson, the Knicks have the right defenders to put alongside Anthony. Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby are worthy of being called Defensive Player of the Year candidates, and they could fit perfectly with Melo in the starting lineup as a scorer and secondary playmaker.
The ten-time All-Star forward would play either the small or power forward position alongside OG, while Brunson and Bridges play in the backcourt. Mitchell Robinson completes the five-man lineup, and due to the depth on their bench, they have a championship-contending squad.
Players like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo are the perfect role players because they work hard on both sides of the floor. Being coached by Tom Thibodeau would also motivate Carmelo more because he had the skills to be a good defender, as he was just encouraged to exert more energy into his offense.
Related: Michael Jordan on why guys shouldn't be able to jump from high school to NBA: "Something is affected by leaving college early"
Carmelo respects what the Knicks have going on now
Away from the hypothetical situation, Melo knows that the current Knicks team is built to become one of the best Eastern Conference teams. NBA legend Kevin Garnett believes New York has the talent to keep up with the Boston Celtics and is more experienced ahead of the 2024/25 season.
The squad has good players in every position, which bodes well in the top-heavy Eastern Conference standings. Playing against the Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers will be challenging, but the Knicks are ready to compete for a championship.
Related: Carmelo feels he would have been a perfect fit for the current NY team during his prime: "I just like how the Knicks' roster is put together"
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