Perhaps you've heard, Carmelo Anthony is going to New York. On an intellectual level, I don't begrudge anyone's decision to go where they choose. On a personal level, he's been pissing in a lot of folks' Cheerios for months. There's a dozen people who are going to have to move their lives and their families to make him happy. That's pretty selfish, but few people reach his level of success without that kind of self obsession.
This letter is for anyone who is excited about seeing Carmelo Anthony play in New York. As a former Nuggets season ticket holder, I can assure you that he's fun to watch. Sometimes. He'll probably make the Knicks a better team from the first game he plays. He'll make the games more exciting. Initially.
But if you look closely, you'll see things that are hard to quantify with simple or advanced stats. You may not notice on TV whose man just went to the basket unguarded because his defender left him alone. But if you go to a lot of Carmelo Anthony's games, they are often his. And you may see an increased frequency of open dunks for opponents because somebody half-heartedly fought through a screen. And then there's all the times the home team has to play a man down because Carmelo Anthony is upset because he didn't get a call.
And then, a few seconds later, 'Melo will send home an alley oop or drain an unguardable shot, and you'll say, it's all worth it.
Repeat.
He's an amazing player - an epic talent - but as frustrating as any sports figure I've watched.
Good look, Knickerbockers.
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