Carmelo Anthony’s summer has been a tumultuous one although the New York Knicks star has not said one official word. He’s rehabbing from injury and posting the process of his rehab on social media but throughout all of this process, Melo has yet to speak to anyone on the record about what he’s thinking of the Knicks moves this summer.
There have been reports of Melo not liking the Knicks moves on draft night, particularly in acquiring Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant, but Melo has since shot down those rumors. He’s been on social media praising Porzingis, even saying the Knicks selecting him with the fourth pick was a ‘steal’.
Although Melo did reach out to Kristaps, there has still been questions about his level of commitment to the team going forward. It’s also been reported that Melo has not even talked to Phil Jackson since free agency began.
Recently, current Knicks broadcaster and former legendary member of the organization, Walt Frazier, questioned if Melo would seek a trade away from New York. Now according to a former-turned-new teammate of Melo’s, Arron Afflalo, it appears that he’s actually very committed to the Knicks.
Following from Ian Begley of ESPN New York.
“He’s very committed. He seems very, very, very hungry to succeed,” Afflalo said on Wednesday after making an appearance at the New York Knicks’ Summer Basketball Camp at Pace University.
Afflalo and Anthony played together on the Denver Nuggets for 119 games between the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons with the Nuggets. Denver was a +231 as a team in 2,624 minutes with Anthony and Afflalo on court together during that span. Hopefully the same level of success can transfer to the 2015-16 Knicks.
It appears that it was almost a no-brainer for Afflalo to join New York and his old superstar teammate.
More from Begley on Carmelo’s influence on Afflalo’s offseason decision.
But it sounds like Anthony was in favor of the team’s signing of Afflalo, his former teammate in Denver.
Afflalo said on Wednesday that Anthony “had a lot to do” with why he ended up with the Knicks.
“I know they value his opinion here in the organization,” said Afflalo, who has worked out with Anthony in New York and Las Vegas recently. “… He was a big part of me getting here.”
Later, Afflalo added: “He’s very happy that I’m here. He spoke highly of me when asked, and that’s all you can ask for.”
“I’m extremely excited to play with him. I know he’s excited that I’m here and we’re going to make it work,” Afflalo said.
With the star locked-in to New York, some younger pieces around him and the veteran additions of Afflalo, Robin Lopez, Derrick Williams and Kyle O’Quinn might make the Knicks a team contending for a playoff spot. They won’t be contending for a title anytime soon but this is a good start to the Knicks rebuild from a franchise-worst season last year.
