How Right Was Kenny Smith About the Knicks ‘Always Having the Second Best Player’?

Amongst the various underdog teams in the ongoing NBA season, one franchise that has started to gain traction over the past few weeks is the New York Knicks. The franchise has been slowly picking up wins, thanks to the contribution of various key players. Despite their best efforts, however, a question was recently raised by former NBA player Kenny Smith about whether the team has enough star power to make them a contender. A question over whether there is a need to have a proven No 1 player on the roster.

It all started when Kenny Smith and his ‘NBA on TNT’ co-hosts discussed the Knicks, with Charles Barkley claiming that the franchise is unable to perform any better than their previous seasons. Smith took the opportunity to make a bold claim. He stated, “Every game that they play, they always have the second-best player. … You don’t have the best player on the floor no night.”

When taking Smith’s comments into perspective, one can argue that it holds some merit. The Knicks haven’t had a ‘superstar’ player on their roster ever since Carmelo Anthony was traded away in 2017. Standing at 6 foot 7, Carmelo’s prowess in scoring and his nifty footwork was what was required by the team.

The Knicks saw the benefit of having a ‘star’ player like Carmelo Anthony

After head coach Mike Woodson decided to use Melo as a point forward to help create a high-paced offense. Under his leadership, Melo managed to help the Knicks win their first Playoff game since 2001, in which he scored an astonishing 41 points. While they ended up losing to the Miami Heat in 5 games, the feat in itself was nothing short of remarkable.

During the 2012-13 season, the Knicks had an 18–5 record to start the season. It was the Knicks’ best start since 1993. The franchise developed an offensive rating of 111.1 during the same. According to SI writer Chris Herring, Melo’s teammates would later go on to shoot 47.6% “after receiving one of his (Anthony’s) passes, much better than their 43.4% mark in other situations.”

When comparing the Melo Era to the current roster, one can see what effect losing a star player had on the Knicks. Their offensive rating never managed to cross or even reach 111 and their shooting abilities are faltering. Even though players like Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, who are All-Stars, are managing to keep the team afloat, they will never be considered legitimate contenders unless they acquire that one player around whom the rest of the roster can rally. And Melo seems content on making a comeback to the Knicks.

A star like Melo is just what the Knicks need

During a conversation with The Kid Mero, the 39-year-old discussed the current roster. While they agreed that the team is made up of some good players, there is a need for an NBA veteran who can push them to win. When discussing the player who would be perfect for such a situation, Anthony put forth his own name.

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“I prefer me. Me with that team, the Knicks,” said Carmelo Anthony during the interview. “That would have been a special team”. The former player praised members of the current roster, including Julius Randle. He still felt, however, that if a “prime Melo” was added to the mix, the Knicks would be a formidable force to deal with.

Carmelo Anthony never won a title for the Knicks, nor did he help them reach a Conference Finals during his six years in the Big Apple. He still, however, means a lot to New York. Fans had yearned for a star like him after years of mediocrity and, looking at the current roster, he may be getting remembered more often than before. With the rest of the Eastern Conference teams making moves, one would have to agree with Kenny Smith’s assessment. By making use of only “second best players”, the Knicks are only making their path murky.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.

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