Some Scattered Melo Thoughts

Carmelo Anthony's year-long trade saga had been dubbed "The Melo-Drama," mainly because it needed a flashy title to save it from an otherwise predictable result. That's not to say this horse and pony show didn't have melodramatic tendencies. The way Melo has handled his impending free agency is far less exception than the rule, with Lockout Summer, coming this July, approaching fast.
What bothered me about this entire situation is how forced it seemed, lending credence to its title. It's like watching a movie when you already know the ending. The apparent twists and turns aren't nearly as exciting when you know that road is in fact a dead end, and not an intersection.
For all the hate The Decision has received, and deservedly so, it was still a landmark NBA moment. While ESPN was reporting all morning that LeBron was going to the Heat, it still seemed a little too unbelievable. I have no doubt in my mind that every Bulls, Knicks, Cavs, and Heat fan watched The Decision with a bit of nervous energy. Sure, we all were supposed to know LeBron was going to the Heat, but there wasn't the 100 percent certainty of Melo to the Knicks. For that reason, among many other more important ones, The Decision was significant. It was proper dramatic conclusion to the 2010 free agency period. The Melo-drama just wasn't interesting, and maybe it wasn't meant to be. Carmelo isn't the player LeBron is, and probably didn't deserve that type of attention anyway.
I've heard two angles on this story come up more than any other. The first being that Melo's move represents the eventual doom of the small-market club, and the second being that the Knicks still aren't title contenders. To the latter, I say, "Duh!" Despite the buzz around the trade, Melo's acquisition was was a means to an end for the Knicks, rather than the end. This trade wasn't meant to make them contenders today. In fact, it's unclear if they're even a better team today than they were yesterday. The Knicks hope to add either Chris Paul or Deron Williams in 2012, assuming the new CBA makes that possible. Basically, the Knicks took a chance. Some people agree with taking chances and others don't.
Seeing as I root for a big-market team I may be a bit biased, but I think LeBron, Carmelo, and Co.'s relocations aren't motivated solely by playing in big markets. Miami isn't even a big market, but does have an advantage over other cities because it is a desirable place to live. Miami was a unique situation because it was three guys who wanted to play with each other. Miami was the only place able to make that happen in 2011.
Big-market Chicago had the best nucleus of any major free-agent player this summer and didn't even come away with a top 5 free agent. I think, more so than anything, an organization that drafts well and has built a team capable of contending will attract big and small-name free agents, regardless of where the team is located. The Nuggets drafted Carmelo and built their team around him. They made some mistakes along the way, but I think most can agree, although they probably weren't going to win a title, they were capable of making a playoff push and failed to do so. The problem here could be Melo, not the Nuggets organization or the city of Denver. I'm not buying the "death of the small market" argument. If Carmelo can't get it done as the centerpiece in Denver and thinks things will change in New York, then he was probably worth getting rid of.

Despite the saltiness of Denver and other small markets, the NBA is better off with Melo in New York. Madison Square Garden has been called The Mecca of Basketball since before I was born. The Knicks franchise has won two NBA Championships, tied for 8th most in NBA history. The "Mecca" title has long been ridiculous. But ridiculous or not, it still exists, and we can't deny that great players have elevated their game when playing against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks aren't perennial losers anymore, even though they haven't won a ring since 1973. Melo's acquisition alone gives us the impression that they've won something on the court, even though they haven't. Look at the Heat. It seems that most team's fan bases get more joy out of beating them than the Lakers or Celtics. The same will happen to the Knicks, and the undeserving cloud of importance that constantly surrounds them will at least by somewhat justified. The NBA will be more fun this way. Trust me.
Not to mention, the Eastern Conference playoffs will be...well...indescribable. I've long maintained that the Celtics, Heat, and Bulls are the only true contenders in the East and I stand by that. But just looking at the potential first round match ups, there won't be an easy series for any team. Regardless of what team I root for, that's what I want to see. That's one of the reasons I like this trade. It brings some much needed excitement to an Eastern Conference, that save for a team or two, has been absolutely mind-numbingly boring the last decade.