With or without Carmelo Anthony

It is no surprise that it is being reported today that Carmelo Anthony has admitted publicly that he is going to opt out at the end of the season. As if I never told you guys this. It makes perfect sense for him to do so because the Knicks can offer him the most money and he can also sign with a team that has the potential to win a championship if  he can negotiate a contract he is comfortable with.

That's all great for Anthony but how does that play out for the Knicks?

Re-signing Carmelo Anthony leaves very little room for the Knicks to sign any type of players that can help the Knicks get past the Bulls, the Nets and the Heat. Remember, the Knicks don't even have a handful of draft picks left after trading for Anthony and Andrea Bargnani.

The only chance for the Knicks to be competitive in the near term is either by trading Anthony now for a crap load of draft picks or allowing Anthony to walk after he opts out and using their cap space to go after a Bosh like free agent and several good grade B players that can form a good team.

However, letting Anthony walk would mean that the Knicks gave up half the team and a bunch of draft picks just to rent Anthony for a couple of seasons with nothing to show for it and I don't think James Dolan has the balls to admit that he made such a colossal mistake. He has no choice but to re-sign Anthony.

Knicks fans, if you didn't run your mouths so f'ing much I'd actually feel sorry for you because your team isn't going to sniff a championship for the foreseeable future, with or without Carmelo.

I am so delighted JR Smith is a Knick

When I checked the stats of this blog I notice a very sharp spike in hits. I guess people were expecting me to go in on JR Smith because he was caught with weed in his system and suspended for five games by the NBA.

I actually think its great. Five games in which he isn't helping his team to win could be the difference at the end of the season for my team, the Brooklyn Nets, to actually win the division and get home court advantage.

So no, I will not curse out JR Smith for being irresponsible. He is an adult and the Knicks problem now and not mine as a fan of the Nets.

I won't curse James Dolan for circumventing his basketball executives and signing Smith initially unbeknownst to them, he has every right to screw the team he owns.

I refuse to yell at JR's surrogate daddy Mike Woodson for not giving him enough tough love, I frankly don't give a damn.

I am delighted JR Smith is a Knick and I hope that he remains one for his entire professional career because I know that his behavior will always spot my team at least five games in the standings. Thanks JR and I know where you can get that fire Diesel when you need to re-up, Holla at your boy.

JR Smith is injured and you are a fool to remain a fan of the Knicks

It's so weird. Just yesterday I had a discussion with a Knicks fan who was touting how great the Knicks are going to be this upcoming season especially now that JR Smith has his new contract, has learned his lesson and will now be a very good boy.

'What bunch of idiots will sign me now?'

I don't think its my place to talk people out of their dreams no matter how ridiculous. There is nothing wrong with hope, usually.

I say usually because it is now being reported that JR Smith underwent two major surgical procedures almost around the same time we had our discussion yesterday and will be out from 12 to 16 weeks. When he does comeback it will take him some time to knock off the rust as the Knicks slowly manage his minutes until he is full strength.

There are rumors that the Knicks knew that JR had knee issues but didn't know the extent. If true that is a little disturbing to find out now that we know JR had a torn patella tendon and a torn meniscus which were both repaired on Monday afternoon.

This should tell Knicks fans that management either did not do their due diligence before before giving another player with a bum knee a four year contract or they did know and never bothered to court Tony Allen, OJ Mayo or another player to replace damaged goods. The Knicks don't have access to Google? http://bit.ly/1bF1s0G

I think both the Knicks and JR knew that his knee would be an issue on the open market and the money they were offering JR he'd never get anywhere else and if he does recover his new contract would be a bargain.

The later is the most likely scenario but Knicks fans, here is the issue you need to concern yourselves with.

You were expecting to prove to Carmelo Anthony how good a team he has around him especially with the return of the Sixth Man of the Year as the second leading scorer and for the team to make another run at the Eastern conference title. Well those hopes are dashed now.

By the time JR is one hundred percent the leading teams will be so far ahead of the Knicks in the standings that even if they make the playoffs they will most likely be in sixth place and facing the Heat in the first round. We all know what the outcome of that is going to be.

Do you really think that Carmelo Anthony is not going to opt out and move on from this homemade team after next season?

Your team's best chance to get better fast is to find a team that Anthony would be willing to re-sign with and make the trade for a bunch of young players and draft picks. You need to get something for him before he leaves to have some real hope for the future. Did you not learn anything from what Denver did to you?

I almost forgot, the Knicks did get Ron Artest to agree to a deal yesterday so they should be fine now.