Boston is fading since the deadline trade and New York's so-called superstars are not so super. I've got those stories and more in my latest take on the NBA.
History says you usually need one superstar to win an NBA championship; whether the name is Wilt, Kareem, Jordan, Bird, Magic, Olajuwon, Duncan or Kobe. It seems these days, the superstar label gets thrown around way too easily, and unfortunately for the Knicks, that's the case with Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony.
I equate a superstar with someone who is more of a franchise player and somebody you have a real good shot of winning a title with if he's your number one player. Neither Stoudemire or Anthony live up to that standard in my estimation.
With both players, you're dealing with two great scorers who don't bring the other attributes to the table that win championships. They don't play very good defense and aren't playmakers who elevate the level of play of their teammates. When Carmelo or Amar'e put the ball on the floor it almost invariably ends up with a shot attempt rather than a pass to an open teammate.
Not long after Anthony was dealt to the Knicks, Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson made a very telling comment that I'm sure was directed toward his former teammate, saying "we are passing the ball, getting everybody involved. There are no sticky hands out there."
There have been plenty of big-time scorers who have won championships, i.e. Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant. But unlike Anthony, these players were excellent passers and score within the flow of the offense rather than bog it down.
As for Stoudemire, he's not a prototypical back-to-the-basket power forward, which puts more pressure on the opposing defense and creates a smoother offensive flow. Much of his offense is initiated from the perimeter, where he either takes a mid-range jump shot or drives the ball to the basket. In either scenario, his teammates are basically bystanders, because he is rarely a threat to pass the ball when he does put it on the floor.
When you have a power forward that operates more in the low post like Tim Duncan or Pau Gasol, it creates double teams and shifts in the defense, creating open shots for teammates and offensive rebound opportunities because the defense is scrambling.
Stoudemire is averaging only 1.5 assists over his career and has had only two seasons in which he's averaged at least two per game. Those numbers pale in comparison to someone like Kevin Garnett, whose career assist average is 4.1, and has had ten seasons in which he put up at least four assists per game.
This season Stoudemire has had five games in which he's had at least five assists, while Gasol has done it 18 times and Blake Griffin 21 times.
So can the Knicks eventually win a title with Stoudemire and Anthony? I'll answer that question with a couple of questions. Do you think Doc Rivers would rather go to war in the playoffs with Stoudemire and Anthony rather than Garnett and Paul Pierce? Do you think the Lakers would have won two straight championships with Carmelo and Amare in place of Bryant and Gasol?
BOSTON CELTICS
The Celtics have had a bumpy road since the big trade-deadline deal with the Thunder, and in the process, their grip on the top seed in the East which they've held for most of the season is gone. Boston's 41-14 record (.763 winning percentage) at the time of the trade was the second best in the league, and had them atop the conference standings.
2011年3月28日星期一
2011年3月17日星期四
Bulldogs' Greg Smith going to NBA
Sophomore center Greg Smith, the top rebounder and second-leading scorer on the Fresno State men's basketball team, is jumping to the NBA.
Smith told The Bee about the move Thursday afternoon, hours before the university held a press conference to announce that coach Steve Cleveland was was being reassigned after six seasons as Bulldogs coach.
Smith, 20, said Thursday afternoon that the instability of the basketball team affected his decision. "With all the uncertainty with the program and Cleve being coach ... it's my time to take my game to the next level."
Smith, who attended Edison High, said not knowing Cleveland's future "really affected" his decision to leave early.
"I would have loved to have Cleveland as a coach. He taught me to be mature and gave me responsibilities," Smith said. "He helped me in many ways grow up as an 18-, 19-year-old freshman. I have to give a lot of credit to him."
Smith's uncle and father figure, Stephen Shelley, said the move was "official" and that this was "no testing of the waters." After Fresno State announced its Thursday evening press conference, Shelley reiterated that his nephew isn't looking back.
This past season, Smith was a second-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick after finishing second on the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game and first in rebounds, at 8.1 per game.
The Bulldogs went 14-17 overall and 6-10 in the WAC regular season, earning the No. 7 seed at the conference tournament, where they lost in the first round.
Smith was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2009-10.
It is the second straight season a Bulldogs player has left early, following Paul George last year. George, also a second-team WAC selection, was the No. 10 overall pick by the Indiana Pacers. Another Cleveland-coached player, Dominic McGuire, left early in 2007 and was a second-round pick of the Washington Wizards. He now plays for Charlotte.
The two-round 2011 NBA Draft is June 23 in Newark, N.J.
Smith, listed at 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, said he is confident that he will be able to perform at the next level.
"I know what I'm capable of, and I know I'm ready to play against that talent," he said.
He said his goal is to get in the best shape of his life and gain about five pounds of muscle so he can show NBA teams his endurance, energy and physical toughness.
"I'm excited about the journey I'm about to take," Smith said. "I feel like it's my time right now. I developed a little better, matured a lot."
An NBA scout who spoke on condition of anonymity said Smith is big enough and strong enough to play in the NBA, but the league still has questions. "I don't think his body of work from the season warrants him getting drafted," the scout said, "but potential's written all over that kid."
Shelley, Smith's uncle, said, "He's throwing his hat into the ring, and he's going to get into the best shape of his life."
Shelley said Smith plans to sign with an agent. A player who signs with an agent forfeits any remaining college eligibility. Basketball players who don't sign with an agent have until June 13 to pull out of the NBA draft.
Smith told The Bee about the move Thursday afternoon, hours before the university held a press conference to announce that coach Steve Cleveland was was being reassigned after six seasons as Bulldogs coach.
Smith, 20, said Thursday afternoon that the instability of the basketball team affected his decision. "With all the uncertainty with the program and Cleve being coach ... it's my time to take my game to the next level."
Smith, who attended Edison High, said not knowing Cleveland's future "really affected" his decision to leave early.
"I would have loved to have Cleveland as a coach. He taught me to be mature and gave me responsibilities," Smith said. "He helped me in many ways grow up as an 18-, 19-year-old freshman. I have to give a lot of credit to him."
Smith's uncle and father figure, Stephen Shelley, said the move was "official" and that this was "no testing of the waters." After Fresno State announced its Thursday evening press conference, Shelley reiterated that his nephew isn't looking back.
This past season, Smith was a second-team All-Western Athletic Conference pick after finishing second on the team in scoring at 11.7 points per game and first in rebounds, at 8.1 per game.
The Bulldogs went 14-17 overall and 6-10 in the WAC regular season, earning the No. 7 seed at the conference tournament, where they lost in the first round.
Smith was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2009-10.
It is the second straight season a Bulldogs player has left early, following Paul George last year. George, also a second-team WAC selection, was the No. 10 overall pick by the Indiana Pacers. Another Cleveland-coached player, Dominic McGuire, left early in 2007 and was a second-round pick of the Washington Wizards. He now plays for Charlotte.
The two-round 2011 NBA Draft is June 23 in Newark, N.J.
Smith, listed at 6-foot-10 and 250 pounds, said he is confident that he will be able to perform at the next level.
"I know what I'm capable of, and I know I'm ready to play against that talent," he said.
He said his goal is to get in the best shape of his life and gain about five pounds of muscle so he can show NBA teams his endurance, energy and physical toughness.
"I'm excited about the journey I'm about to take," Smith said. "I feel like it's my time right now. I developed a little better, matured a lot."
An NBA scout who spoke on condition of anonymity said Smith is big enough and strong enough to play in the NBA, but the league still has questions. "I don't think his body of work from the season warrants him getting drafted," the scout said, "but potential's written all over that kid."
Shelley, Smith's uncle, said, "He's throwing his hat into the ring, and he's going to get into the best shape of his life."
Shelley said Smith plans to sign with an agent. A player who signs with an agent forfeits any remaining college eligibility. Basketball players who don't sign with an agent have until June 13 to pull out of the NBA draft.
2011年3月6日星期日
Lakers 99, Spurs 83 -- At the buzzer
It's a stretch to say the Lakers have somehow been written off in the national conversation about this year's NBA champion, not when seemingly every opposing player and coach, along with substantial portions of the media, consistently refer to them as the team to beat. Still, for much of the season, the "What's Wrong With the Lakers?" drum has taken plenty of abuse.
Happily enough for the purple and gold, the answer since the All-Star break has been "Not much." Certainly not Sunday afternoon in San Antonio, when the Lakers went into AT&T Center, a building in which the Spurs have lost twice this season and not at all since November, and totally obliterated them to earn their seventh straight victory.
There have been plenty of times this year when the Lakers have played well -- road wins in Boston and Oklahoma City come to mind -- but none in which they managed together the total package on offense and defense quite like this. Particularly in the first half, when they shot 56 percent while holding their hosts to 35. More importantly, whether it was Ron Artest flexing to the crowd and kissing his biceps after swatting a George Hill corner 3 or Kobe Bryant exchanging some words with fans after sticking a 3 of his own in Manu Ginobili's face, L.A. showed genuine swagger for the first time this season.
It was the sort of attitude springing from top-shelf play on the floor, as opposed to the assumption it would come (the type too often displayed earlier in the season).
Bryant rejected the idea his team sent a grand message to the Spurs. "We know we're capable of having games like this, and I think San Antonio knows we're capable of having games like this. It just as easily could go the oother way around," he said. "We know each other extremely well. We know what we're capable of, we know what they're capable of. I don't think it was that big of a message that we sent today." As Bryant notes, both teams are too smart, too veteran, to read that much into one game, even if that game is a potential preview of the Western Conference Finals.
But does indicate the high level of play put forth by the Lakers since the break isn't a mirage. This looks very much like a team rounding into playoff form.
Here's how it broke down:
Highlights
1. Andrew Bynum. Friday night against Charlotte, in grabbing 17 boards, blocking five shots, and altering countless more, he showed how capable he is of controlling games even without scoring much. Sunday, Bynum proved the same point to San Antonio. On the afternoon, he scored four points on two shots, and didn't shoot a free throw. Still, Bynum was the team's catalyst early, rising for an offensive rebound off a Derek Fisher miss and throwing it down for L.A.'s first points. On the other end, he blocked Ginobili inside, then quickly earned more offensive boards for Lakers second-chance points.
Over the first 12 minutes, Bynum grabbed eight rebounds (four offensive) and blocked two shots, and was a major reason the Spurs shot only 27.3 percent. He'd finish with 17 rebounds and three blocks. Best of all for Lakers fans, Bynum's mobility around the basket continues to improve, as does his ability to make that "second jump" -- getting back off the floor after an initial contest or attempt at a rebound.
Most encouraging for Lakers fans, Bynum seems to embrace the role he's played so well over the last seven games, trading scoring for presence. "This team is going to win regardless of if I get 15 points or if I get four points. That's the kind of team we are," he said. "But this team won't win if we don't have defensive toughness on the inside. I just think that's the biggest thing I can bring."
2. Kobe Bryant. When he missed his first three shots, it looked like San Antonio might shut Bryant down again, as it had done in the two previous meetings between the teams. Then, he ripped off four makes in his next five tries to scuttle that notion. Bryant was effective outside and inside, frequently working Hill on the block when the Spurs were reluctant to send help. He hit tough jumpers with hands in his face, and stuck them from different spots on the floor. And while Bryant didn't spend much time at the line -- L.A. didn't need the stripe this afternoon, shooting only 10 as a team -- he moved effectively off the ball, and the Lakers found more ways to get him the ball later into possessions, rather than relying solely on isolation or pick-and-roll sets in which he initiates the offense.
One particularly clever trip saw Bryant run off the baseline from the weakside, using screens from Pau Gasol and Bynum to rub out any potential interference in his catch-and-shoot jumper. He was great in the pick-and-roll, too, moving the ball well and finding open teammates, but when the Lakers can deploy him with variety and Bryant hits his shots, they're tough to cover.
Add in some very aggressive work on the glass, and it was a strong afternoon for Bryant.
3. Pau Gasol. He showed the full range of skills Sunday. When his man conceded the elbow jumper, Gasol took it without hesitation, and generally converted. When help came, Gasol found the open man, as it was near the end of the first half when he took the ball in the high post, dribbled left into the lane and floated a great pass over the top to a wide-open Derek Fisher for one of L.A.'s seven first-half 3-pointers.
And in perhaps the best sign the game belonged to the Lakers, Gasol opened their second-quarter scoring with a clean 3 from the right corner, his first triple of the season.
4. Defense. I mentioned already San Antonio's first-half shooting percentage. Some of that is based on poor shooting -- almost always in the NBA when figures get that low it means a team missed open shots -- but give serious credit to the Lakers. They closed on shooters, generally did well limiting second-chance points, and while Tony Parker was reasonably effective as a scorer, the Lakers completely eliminated Ginobili and, as it was in the last meeting at Staples Center, Tim Duncan as factors in the game. Those two combined for only four buckets on 17 tries.
More importantly, the Lakers were able to take one of the league's best offensive teams and totally remove any flow and ball movement from its attack. San Antonio finished with only 14 assists.
"We were very unselfish defensively. We covered for each other. We didn't care about guarding our man individually," Bryant told ABC's Lisa Salters after the game. "We did it collectively, and that was the key."
5. And so on ... I don't want to offend anyone on such a happy afternoon for Lakers fans, but working under a deadline means whipping through some other numbers like an actor might names in an Oscar speech: 26 assists on 42 field goals. Shannon Brown rediscovered his jumper, hitting 6 of 10 shots from the floor. Lamar Odom was great, scoring 15 points and adding six dimes. Matt Barnes, in his first game back following knee surgery, seemed to move well, showing his trademark hard cuts to the bucket.
Happily enough for the purple and gold, the answer since the All-Star break has been "Not much." Certainly not Sunday afternoon in San Antonio, when the Lakers went into AT&T Center, a building in which the Spurs have lost twice this season and not at all since November, and totally obliterated them to earn their seventh straight victory.
There have been plenty of times this year when the Lakers have played well -- road wins in Boston and Oklahoma City come to mind -- but none in which they managed together the total package on offense and defense quite like this. Particularly in the first half, when they shot 56 percent while holding their hosts to 35. More importantly, whether it was Ron Artest flexing to the crowd and kissing his biceps after swatting a George Hill corner 3 or Kobe Bryant exchanging some words with fans after sticking a 3 of his own in Manu Ginobili's face, L.A. showed genuine swagger for the first time this season.
It was the sort of attitude springing from top-shelf play on the floor, as opposed to the assumption it would come (the type too often displayed earlier in the season).
Bryant rejected the idea his team sent a grand message to the Spurs. "We know we're capable of having games like this, and I think San Antonio knows we're capable of having games like this. It just as easily could go the oother way around," he said. "We know each other extremely well. We know what we're capable of, we know what they're capable of. I don't think it was that big of a message that we sent today." As Bryant notes, both teams are too smart, too veteran, to read that much into one game, even if that game is a potential preview of the Western Conference Finals.
But does indicate the high level of play put forth by the Lakers since the break isn't a mirage. This looks very much like a team rounding into playoff form.
Here's how it broke down:
Highlights
1. Andrew Bynum. Friday night against Charlotte, in grabbing 17 boards, blocking five shots, and altering countless more, he showed how capable he is of controlling games even without scoring much. Sunday, Bynum proved the same point to San Antonio. On the afternoon, he scored four points on two shots, and didn't shoot a free throw. Still, Bynum was the team's catalyst early, rising for an offensive rebound off a Derek Fisher miss and throwing it down for L.A.'s first points. On the other end, he blocked Ginobili inside, then quickly earned more offensive boards for Lakers second-chance points.
Over the first 12 minutes, Bynum grabbed eight rebounds (four offensive) and blocked two shots, and was a major reason the Spurs shot only 27.3 percent. He'd finish with 17 rebounds and three blocks. Best of all for Lakers fans, Bynum's mobility around the basket continues to improve, as does his ability to make that "second jump" -- getting back off the floor after an initial contest or attempt at a rebound.
Most encouraging for Lakers fans, Bynum seems to embrace the role he's played so well over the last seven games, trading scoring for presence. "This team is going to win regardless of if I get 15 points or if I get four points. That's the kind of team we are," he said. "But this team won't win if we don't have defensive toughness on the inside. I just think that's the biggest thing I can bring."
2. Kobe Bryant. When he missed his first three shots, it looked like San Antonio might shut Bryant down again, as it had done in the two previous meetings between the teams. Then, he ripped off four makes in his next five tries to scuttle that notion. Bryant was effective outside and inside, frequently working Hill on the block when the Spurs were reluctant to send help. He hit tough jumpers with hands in his face, and stuck them from different spots on the floor. And while Bryant didn't spend much time at the line -- L.A. didn't need the stripe this afternoon, shooting only 10 as a team -- he moved effectively off the ball, and the Lakers found more ways to get him the ball later into possessions, rather than relying solely on isolation or pick-and-roll sets in which he initiates the offense.
One particularly clever trip saw Bryant run off the baseline from the weakside, using screens from Pau Gasol and Bynum to rub out any potential interference in his catch-and-shoot jumper. He was great in the pick-and-roll, too, moving the ball well and finding open teammates, but when the Lakers can deploy him with variety and Bryant hits his shots, they're tough to cover.
Add in some very aggressive work on the glass, and it was a strong afternoon for Bryant.
3. Pau Gasol. He showed the full range of skills Sunday. When his man conceded the elbow jumper, Gasol took it without hesitation, and generally converted. When help came, Gasol found the open man, as it was near the end of the first half when he took the ball in the high post, dribbled left into the lane and floated a great pass over the top to a wide-open Derek Fisher for one of L.A.'s seven first-half 3-pointers.
And in perhaps the best sign the game belonged to the Lakers, Gasol opened their second-quarter scoring with a clean 3 from the right corner, his first triple of the season.
4. Defense. I mentioned already San Antonio's first-half shooting percentage. Some of that is based on poor shooting -- almost always in the NBA when figures get that low it means a team missed open shots -- but give serious credit to the Lakers. They closed on shooters, generally did well limiting second-chance points, and while Tony Parker was reasonably effective as a scorer, the Lakers completely eliminated Ginobili and, as it was in the last meeting at Staples Center, Tim Duncan as factors in the game. Those two combined for only four buckets on 17 tries.
More importantly, the Lakers were able to take one of the league's best offensive teams and totally remove any flow and ball movement from its attack. San Antonio finished with only 14 assists.
"We were very unselfish defensively. We covered for each other. We didn't care about guarding our man individually," Bryant told ABC's Lisa Salters after the game. "We did it collectively, and that was the key."
5. And so on ... I don't want to offend anyone on such a happy afternoon for Lakers fans, but working under a deadline means whipping through some other numbers like an actor might names in an Oscar speech: 26 assists on 42 field goals. Shannon Brown rediscovered his jumper, hitting 6 of 10 shots from the floor. Lamar Odom was great, scoring 15 points and adding six dimes. Matt Barnes, in his first game back following knee surgery, seemed to move well, showing his trademark hard cuts to the bucket.
2011年2月22日星期二
Knicks Go for Greatness With Anthony
GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Carmelo Anthony wanted the Knicks, and the Knicks wanted Carmelo Anthony, but the trade that finally united them was so much more complicated than mutual attraction.
The Knicks had to navigate a minefield of conflicting agendas, internal and external. They had to weigh Anthony’s competitive drive against his drive for financial security. They had to gauge the anxiety of the Denver Nuggets and the stubborn persistence of the Nets.
They ultimately paid a staggering price — four rotation players, all of them 26 or younger, three draft picks and $6 million in cash — to acquire Anthony and Chauncey Billups. But the Knicks nudged a little closer to contender status late Monday night, and that was all the justification they needed.
Anthony, one of the N.B.A.’s elite scorers, is joining Amar’e Stoudemire, one of game’s fiercest big men, on the league’s greatest stage. Any nagging details — a gutted roster, a fractured front office — were deemed secondary.
“We know that we want to win a championship,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said Tuesday. “And the way to do it, you got to get some star players in here. And you can’t say, ‘Well, what if, what if.’ We could be here forever. And what-ifs never happen. But we know we have two of the best players in the league.”
The trade, which also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves, came together late Monday and was still awaiting league approval Tuesday night. A conference call with league officials was put off until Anthony completed a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nuggets that was agreed to as part of the deal.
Anthony, Billups and the four other players obtained by the Knicks are expected to be in New York on Wednesday, although it is not clear whether they will be eligible to play that night against the Milwaukee Bucks. All players in the trade must pass physical examinations (or have them waived) before anyone can play for new teams. The Knicks would have nine players available if the trade is held up.
Anthony, 26, had been pushing for a trade since last summer and angling to join the Knicks all along. The Knicks preferred to keep their assets and sign Anthony as a free agent after the season. Anthony’s conflicting priorities made that a risky bet.
Anthony wanted New York, but he also wanted his contract extension before the N.B.A. possibly adopted a more restrictive labor deal this summer. Knicks officials feared that Anthony — despite his well-known preference to play here — would sign the extension in Denver, or in New Jersey or some other city if they did not get him now.
“I think if he could sign an extension, that’s what he wanted to do, for his reasons,” said the Knicks’ president, Donnie Walsh, adding, “He wasn’t going to make the free-agent market.”
Knicks officials also feared that a new labor deal might include a so-called franchise tag, which could keep Anthony in Denver, and other marquee players like Chris Paul and Deron Williams with their respective franchises.
Walsh played down any role the Nets had in driving up the price for Anthony, saying that Denver’s asking price would have been the same regardless. He also dismissed widespread reports that James L. Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman, forced the trade on the front office.
Close associates of Walsh have said he was highly reluctant to make the trade and had practically stopped speaking with Dolan. Walsh, however, said he was in continuous communication with Dolan. He said he did not need to be sold on the deal.
“No, not at all. And he shouldn’t, because I’m the one who knows basketball,” Walsh said. “So my job is to advise him: this is good for your franchise. And I did that.”
Whoever made the final call, it was not an easy one. The Knicks gave up their most promising young player, Danilo Gallinari; their starting point guard, Raymond Felton; and two other key pieces, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov; and a first-round pick in 2014 and second-round picks in 2012 and 2013. The draft picks were the final hurdle, according to one executive involved in the deal.
“These are the kind of guys that are really hard to get,” Walsh said, referring to Anthony as a player who “can go out there and get 30 to 40 points in a playoff game.”
Billups, who led the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 championship, is a better playmaker and shooter than Felton. But he is also eight years older.
“Trades are always painful and happy in a certain way,” said Walsh, who praised the overlooked Billups as “a terrific player.”
Although the Knicks gave up youth, depth and size, Walsh said, “it came down to, how much do you want Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups? And are we a better franchise with those guys in it? The decision we made was, we are.”
D’Antoni said he planned to start Stoudemire at power forward and Anthony at small forward, their traditional positions. Ronny Turiaf will replace Mozgov at center. But the Knicks will be thin behind them, with no one over 6 feet 10 inches on the roster. Shawne Williams and the newly acquired Shelden Williams, who are both 6-9, will be the top big men on the bench.
In trading Gallinari and Chandler, the Knicks also lost 3-point shooting, a staple of D’Antoni’s offense.
Walsh will try to address some needs before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. The Knicks are trying to package Corey Brewer, a forward acquired from Minnesota, in another deal, perhaps for a center.
But Walsh said he can address the gaps this summer, when the Knicks expect to have ample salary-cap room. According to some internal estimates — which could change depending on the new labor deal — the Knicks could have up to $16 million in cap room in 2012, when Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard could enter free agency.
No one was happier Tuesday than Stoudemire, who is close friends with Anthony and has been pushing to get him here. The scoring burden will now be shared, along with the intense spotlight.
“New York City was on fire, even before this trade happened with Carmelo,” said Stoudemire, who received the news in a call from Dolan. “I think now, with the help of Carmelo and Chauncey and the rest of the guys, we have a great shot at it.”
Expectations will rise proportionally, putting the pressure on Anthony and Stoudemire to mesh quickly and on D’Antoni to orchestrate it all. The Knicks are sixth in the Eastern Conference, at 28-26. They have 28 games left and very little practice time on the calendar.
“We know we have a lot of work to do,” Walsh said.
The Knicks had to navigate a minefield of conflicting agendas, internal and external. They had to weigh Anthony’s competitive drive against his drive for financial security. They had to gauge the anxiety of the Denver Nuggets and the stubborn persistence of the Nets.
They ultimately paid a staggering price — four rotation players, all of them 26 or younger, three draft picks and $6 million in cash — to acquire Anthony and Chauncey Billups. But the Knicks nudged a little closer to contender status late Monday night, and that was all the justification they needed.
Anthony, one of the N.B.A.’s elite scorers, is joining Amar’e Stoudemire, one of game’s fiercest big men, on the league’s greatest stage. Any nagging details — a gutted roster, a fractured front office — were deemed secondary.
“We know that we want to win a championship,” Coach Mike D’Antoni said Tuesday. “And the way to do it, you got to get some star players in here. And you can’t say, ‘Well, what if, what if.’ We could be here forever. And what-ifs never happen. But we know we have two of the best players in the league.”
The trade, which also involved the Minnesota Timberwolves, came together late Monday and was still awaiting league approval Tuesday night. A conference call with league officials was put off until Anthony completed a three-year, $65 million extension with the Nuggets that was agreed to as part of the deal.
Anthony, Billups and the four other players obtained by the Knicks are expected to be in New York on Wednesday, although it is not clear whether they will be eligible to play that night against the Milwaukee Bucks. All players in the trade must pass physical examinations (or have them waived) before anyone can play for new teams. The Knicks would have nine players available if the trade is held up.
Anthony, 26, had been pushing for a trade since last summer and angling to join the Knicks all along. The Knicks preferred to keep their assets and sign Anthony as a free agent after the season. Anthony’s conflicting priorities made that a risky bet.
Anthony wanted New York, but he also wanted his contract extension before the N.B.A. possibly adopted a more restrictive labor deal this summer. Knicks officials feared that Anthony — despite his well-known preference to play here — would sign the extension in Denver, or in New Jersey or some other city if they did not get him now.
“I think if he could sign an extension, that’s what he wanted to do, for his reasons,” said the Knicks’ president, Donnie Walsh, adding, “He wasn’t going to make the free-agent market.”
Knicks officials also feared that a new labor deal might include a so-called franchise tag, which could keep Anthony in Denver, and other marquee players like Chris Paul and Deron Williams with their respective franchises.
Walsh played down any role the Nets had in driving up the price for Anthony, saying that Denver’s asking price would have been the same regardless. He also dismissed widespread reports that James L. Dolan, the Madison Square Garden chairman, forced the trade on the front office.
Close associates of Walsh have said he was highly reluctant to make the trade and had practically stopped speaking with Dolan. Walsh, however, said he was in continuous communication with Dolan. He said he did not need to be sold on the deal.
“No, not at all. And he shouldn’t, because I’m the one who knows basketball,” Walsh said. “So my job is to advise him: this is good for your franchise. And I did that.”
Whoever made the final call, it was not an easy one. The Knicks gave up their most promising young player, Danilo Gallinari; their starting point guard, Raymond Felton; and two other key pieces, Wilson Chandler and Timofey Mozgov; and a first-round pick in 2014 and second-round picks in 2012 and 2013. The draft picks were the final hurdle, according to one executive involved in the deal.
“These are the kind of guys that are really hard to get,” Walsh said, referring to Anthony as a player who “can go out there and get 30 to 40 points in a playoff game.”
Billups, who led the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 championship, is a better playmaker and shooter than Felton. But he is also eight years older.
“Trades are always painful and happy in a certain way,” said Walsh, who praised the overlooked Billups as “a terrific player.”
Although the Knicks gave up youth, depth and size, Walsh said, “it came down to, how much do you want Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups? And are we a better franchise with those guys in it? The decision we made was, we are.”
D’Antoni said he planned to start Stoudemire at power forward and Anthony at small forward, their traditional positions. Ronny Turiaf will replace Mozgov at center. But the Knicks will be thin behind them, with no one over 6 feet 10 inches on the roster. Shawne Williams and the newly acquired Shelden Williams, who are both 6-9, will be the top big men on the bench.
In trading Gallinari and Chandler, the Knicks also lost 3-point shooting, a staple of D’Antoni’s offense.
Walsh will try to address some needs before Thursday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline. The Knicks are trying to package Corey Brewer, a forward acquired from Minnesota, in another deal, perhaps for a center.
But Walsh said he can address the gaps this summer, when the Knicks expect to have ample salary-cap room. According to some internal estimates — which could change depending on the new labor deal — the Knicks could have up to $16 million in cap room in 2012, when Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Dwight Howard could enter free agency.
No one was happier Tuesday than Stoudemire, who is close friends with Anthony and has been pushing to get him here. The scoring burden will now be shared, along with the intense spotlight.
“New York City was on fire, even before this trade happened with Carmelo,” said Stoudemire, who received the news in a call from Dolan. “I think now, with the help of Carmelo and Chauncey and the rest of the guys, we have a great shot at it.”
Expectations will rise proportionally, putting the pressure on Anthony and Stoudemire to mesh quickly and on D’Antoni to orchestrate it all. The Knicks are sixth in the Eastern Conference, at 28-26. They have 28 games left and very little practice time on the calendar.
“We know we have a lot of work to do,” Walsh said.
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