Carmelo slims down.

Carmelo Anthony has never been considered a physical fitness addict.  Since entering the NBA in 2003 Carmelo's appearance has changed.  Even at Syracuse he had a pretty chubby frame.  Back then his talent and athleticism made up for his dough boy frame.

After 11 years in the NBA Carmelo realizes the necessity to take care of his body.  He's taken part in boxing and yoga this summer.  Maybe the Knicks superstar is conceding to age.  He's at that time in an NBA players career when your legacy starts to become important.  After 30 you don't know how long your body will hold up.  Taking steps to stay healthy can extend Carmelo's career two or three years.

Carmelo has only gotten past the first-round twice in his career.  LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh all entered the league the same year as Carmelo. They have all won multiple championships.  Carmelo is still in search of his first NBA finals appearance.

Carmelo will benefit from the weight loss in the new triangle offense.  Phil Jackson always wanted his players in shape in Chicago and Los Angeles.  For the triangle to work players must do a good amount of running.  The offense is based on ball movement and being in the right position.

Phil is responsible for helping dozens of players find a niche in the NBA.  He is also responsible for helping his superstar players reach new levels.  Hopefully the new regime can get Carmelo to a new level.  Shaquille O'Neal might have benefited the most from
Phil ' s tutelage.  He got Shaq in the best shape of his career by pushing him to play every minute of every game.  Shaq eventually gave up on that proposition.  However, it served as a spring board towards his first NBA finals MVP award.

Carmelo slimming down could definitely hinder his ability to post up other forwards. However, if it can extend his career, that's a price he and the Knicks are willing to pay. Lugging a 240 pound frame around for 70 plus games is demanding on the human body.

LeBron James has also decided to get on the Jenny Craig wave and shed some pounds this summer.  LeBron and Carmelo are like a new era Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.  Both players are aware of what the other does on a nightly basis.  Neither wants the other to get the upper hand.  Someday these two professionals will probably introduce one another at their Hall-of-Fame ceremonies.

Carmelo is one of the elite scorers of the modern generation.  Somehow it still seems as if he has more to give.  He's taken a great deal of criticism for staying in New York.  Carmelo claims his decision wasn't about the money.  New York must improve from an abysmal 37-45 finish last year.