NBA Rumors: Former Knick Defends Carmelo Anthony On Possible Return To Gotham

Another NBA player who has kept pundits guessing is Carmelo Anthony. After a forgettable stint with the Houston Rockets, the 34-year-old scoring forward is in the sidelines and waiting for his call to duty. With the 2018-19 NBA season fast coming to an end, that could happen in the coming months.

As previously reported, one team that has surprisingly been suggested is the New York Knicks. Like the Rockets, everyone knows that Melo and the Knicks did not actually have the sweetest of separations. However, the difference between then and now is that Anthony did not really get along with then-Team President Phil Jackson. Hence, it all falls on the hands of team owner James Dolan and current head coach David Fizdale.

Anthony has gotten his share of criticism at that time when he was still in Gotham. However, one former teammate during that era has come forth to lash out at critics. Marcus Camby, who suited up for New York from 1998-2002 has come to the defense of Anthony. Both were teammates with the Denver Nuggets from 2003-08 and then with the Knicks from 2012-13.

"They put all the blame on Melo, who wanted to come to New York, who wanted to take on that challenge when no one else did," Camby said during a podcast interview. Aware that even the inevitable may happen, Camby believes that it would take a lot of deep thinking and also Melo having to stay mum if he is to fit in with the new Knicks system.

"It'd be hard for him to want to come back to New York," Camby said. "It would take him to bite his tongue and say this is what he wants to do."

Adding someone who can score in a flurry would be grand for the Knicks. But if one is to factor in how Fizdale has put a premium on youth, adding a 34-year-old who wants the ball in his hands most of the time may dampen the self-confidence he is trying to develop from his young core. Taking him in as a mentor is possible although that is seen more like a pad to offset lesser playing minutes. And unless Anthony has matured by now, he is likely to complain and cause problems instead.

Another potential destination is the Los Angeles Lakers, mainly because of LeBron James. But if the recent report from Tempo Sports tied up to the imminent signing of Tyronn Lue is concerned, Anthony joining the Lakers may be in peril. This is actually the part where Phil Jackson influenced the signing of Lue. If he could do that, the Zen Master can also have a say on whether to take in the third overall pick of the 2003 NBA Draft or not.