Was the Carmelo deal worth it?

It's been three years since the New York Knicks and the Denver Nuggets pulled off the blockbuster trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks.  In return Denver received Wilson Chandler,  Danilo Gallanari,  Timofey Mozgov and draft picks.  Denver owns the Knicks first round draft pick this year.  If the Knicks fail to make the playoffs,  Denver will have a shot at the lottery regardless if they make the playoffs or not.  Denver has dropped off dramatically since last season.  This season may not be going particularly well for Denver.  However,  the franchise is headed in the right direction.

The Knicks on the other hand have some hard hitting issues to deal with in the near future.  Carmelo Anthony as we all know plans on opting out of his contract this summer to test free agency.  The roster is aging,  Mike Woodson is currently a lame duck head coach and the salary cap situation is abysmal.  I can go on and on about the miss management of the Knicks franchise, but who really has time for that?  I'm pretty sure everyone gets my drift.

The Knicks defeated the Nuggets pretty handily at MSG last night.  Both teams are having disappointing seasons.  The Nuggets recent struggles were predictable.  The Knicks off season moves did not result in any improvements.  I personally picked the Knicks to finish number six in the east.  Knick fans ripped into me pretty well for this but the lack of continuity was easy to see.

The Knicks traded key pieces as well as draft picks to acquire Carmelo.  Carmelo still has moments where he can be a bit more unselfish.  On the other hand he's been an offensive juggernaut.  Only the second player in Knicks history to capture the scoring title.

The Knicks got the best player in the deal no question.  Basketball is a team game and the NBA is  business.  Careful planning and maneuvering sometimes with less ammunition than competitors is the task of an NBA teams front office.  I have to say right now Denver looks like the winner in the Carmelo Anthony trade.