The New York Knicks might have renewed life in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, but the New York Post is reporting this morning that Knicks GM Donnie Walsh does not intend to gut the roster to get a deal done.
The Knicks feel Anthony holds all the cards, and Walsh plans to play the cards he has carefully, not desperately. He is unwilling to give up too much for Anthony, team sources said yesterday.
Walsh is waffling on whether he even wants to part with [Anthony] Randolph to gain a first-round pick from the Timberwolves, a selection he possibly would have to ship with two of three prospects — Danilo Gallinari, rookie sensation Landry Fields or restricted free agent Wilson Chandler.
Walsh will not give up three of those four players, knowing the Knicks’ biggest need is a legit starting center. Sources said restricted free agents Marc Gasol and Clippers 7-footer DeAndre Jordan are squarely on the radar this summer, and that’s a big priority.
For now, the Knicks wait patiently on the periphery, realizing Anthony’s advisors are eager to drag them into the race to give the Nets competition.
This is the right stance for Walsh to take. The longer this drags on the more likely it is that the Nuggets will have to drop their price tag in order to get something in return for Anthony. Sooner or later the Nuggets could wind up backed into a corner and simply have to take whatever the Knicks decide they can give up.
Besides, I also like Walsh’s belief that his team already has quality perimeter players and could really benefit from the addition of a quality interior player.