Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire in NY Knicks (Photo : Bruce Bennett | Getty Images Sports)
The New York Knicks had good intentions in 2010 to build around Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.
They would have been an explosive forward combination. Amare at his peak with the Phoenix Suns was a stud and Melo was a franchise player with the Denver Nuggets. Bringing them together in New York seemed like a good idea.
Instead, the Knicks became the blueprint of a failed franchise and for years, Stoudemire was declared as the worst contract in the NBA.
Now a member of the Miami Heat, he spoke to the NY Post as they visited Madison Square Garden.
"I don't think we had enough opportunities to play together," Stoudemire said. "I moved to the bench and [became the] sixth, seventh man. When I was in the game, Melo, he was out of the game and vice versa. When we did play together, we showed some flashes of what we could do on the pick-and-roll."
He added: "I don't think that pick-and-roll offense between Melo and I was ever taken advantage of, which we could have. The way he shoots the ball, handles the ball from the outside and the way I attack the rim, it could've been a pretty good combination. I don't think the coaching staff at the time really bought into that.''
While his accusations had a point, it also highlighted why the combination failed. Both Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire are not good defensive players.
NBC went on to say that "Melo and Stoudemire were a dreadful defensive combination, especially as power forward and center - their best offensive positions." Add to the fact that the coaches in question, Mike Woodson and Mike D'Antoni, are also not known for their defense.
Stoudemire's rant exposed his flaws, as he only focused on one side of the court.
