Did Carmelo Anthony forget something? After Amar’e Stoudemire joined the Knicks in 2010, Anthony arrived a year later in the Big Apple causing a massive shift. Many still debate whether it was the right decision for Melo’s career to join the Knicks. However, among NBA legends, the debate seems to have centered on something else. Did Melo actively pursue his way into the franchise, or did the opportunity simply fall into his lap? Well, both parties have offered different answers to that question. 

Stoudemire shared that Melo was fully aware of the opportunity and was even trying his best to make it happen. He revealed that Melo frequently called him to discuss how he could land a deal with the New York Knicks. 

“It was a moment where I knew Melo wanted to come to New York, right? He would call me he would talk to me about it and he would ask me, ‘yo I want to come to New York how can we make it happen?’ All these things. So I was trying to figure it out as well for him,” Stoudemire said on the New York Knicks Podcast, Garden Party.

This contradicts what Melo said previously on his friend and rival Dwyane Wade‘s podcast, The Why. Melo was traded to the Knicks just days before the trade deadline in 2011. During the conversation, the Knicks legend recalled that joining the Knicks was never part of his plan.

“New York never was the place, though. People think that I went in there and was like, ‘Get me out of here’ to Denver. That never was the case,” Anthony said on the show. However, Stoudemire’s version tells us a different story about Melo who was with the Nuggets at the time.

Why did Carmelo Anthony leave the Denver Nuggets?

After joining the Knicks, Melo notched a career-high 62 points in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats, setting a new record for the franchise. But none of that would have happened without Melo leaving the Denver Nuggets, which was a legendary place as well for Melo. 

The Denver Nuggets were his first home, as he was drafted there as the No. 3 pick. He had an equally impressive resume with the Nuggets, even leading the team to the Western Conference Finals, though they ultimately lost to the Lakers. With so much history tied to the place, why did he request a trade?

Melo was undeniably doing his best to lead the team, but he felt the front office wasn’t providing the right support to help him excel or build a championship-worthy team. “Contrary to what anybody believes, I never wanted to leave Denver. I never told people that. … But it’s like they put my back against the wall,” Anthony noted. As a result, he decided it was time to leave the Nuggets. 

Melo’s claims on the New York Knicks seemed to have only lasted a few months, with Stoudemire revealing new details.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.