Melo to the Knicks: A Win-Win for All Involved

Here are my musings on the Carmelo megadeal that went down yesterday:

---Did they give up a lot? Yes. But the Caremelo Anthony trade is a phenomenal deal for the New York Knicks. The Knicks are now equipped with one of the most outstanding duos in the NBA in Amare Stoudamire and Carmelo Anthony, and while there may be a slight transition period, this trade gives the Knicks the ability to compete with the elite. People who are complaining about how much the Knicks gave up are missing the point. New York absolutely had to make this trade.

---Furthermore, the Knicks managed to acquire Carmelo without giving up Landry Fields, their best young player. If it weren't for Blake Griffin, Fields would be the runaway rookie of the year. He is a terrific player and a key part of the Knicks future. Knicks fans everywhere should be in a state of euphoria right now. The magic is back at Madison Sqaure Garden.

---Another reason why I love this trade for the Knicks is that they acquired Chauncey Billups. Billups is in the twilight of his career, but he is still a potent point guard who brings championship experience to the table.

---I can't wait to watch Melo and Amare play together. It is going to be awesome to watch.

---Does this trade make the Knicks title contenders this year? No. New York is still not up to the level of Boston, Chicago, or Miami in the East. However, I would not be shocked if the Knicks pull off an upset in the playoffs against one of the aforementioned teams. With that sensational home crowd at MSG, if the Knicks can find a way to steal a game on the road, they are a viable threat to win any playoff series.

---Still, though, I like the Celtics and Bulls to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.

---As for the Denver Nuggets, this trade is also a win for them. George Karl's team no longer has to deal with the enormous distractions of the Melo saga. Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Felton are terrific young players, Timofey Mosgov has interesting potential, and the first-round draft picks will help Denver build for the future. Nuggets fans should be thrilled with this deal as well.

---The only dilemma for the Nuggets lies at the point guard position. Raymond Felton is fantastic, but the Nuggets had been grooming Ty Lawson to be the PG of the future. One of them has got to go. With all due respect to Felton, I think the Nuggets should keep Lawson. Lawson has incredible speed and athleticism, and his youth makes him the smarter choice at PG for a rebuilding franchise. Felton, on the other hand, would be an excellent addition on a contending team.

---The Carmelo Anthony trade was another water-cooler moment in this spectacular NBA season. The NBA is the best league in all of sports, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the season unfolds.

Around the Association

Hoops fans, gather round the computer. It is time to travel around the greatest league in all of sports, the National Basketball Association:

---Yesterday was a very sad day in the NBA. Jerry Sloan, one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game and a true class act, suddenly resigned. The resignation of Sloan, who had coached the Utah Jazz for 23 exemplary seasons, was nothing short of shocking. Sloan may not have won a championship during his coaching career, but he is as good a coach as the league has ever seen. Whether it be the days of Stockton and Malone or the current era of Deron Williams, Sloan has coached his teams with astounding excellence and professionalism. He will be sorely missed.

---Rumors have surfaced that Deron Williams, the Jazz All-Star point guard and one of the league's elite players, is the man responsible for pushing Sloan out the door. Some believe that Williams' halftime altercation with Sloan during Wednesday's loss to the Chicago Bulls served as the event that triggered Sloan's decision to leave. Count me among those who do not buy the rumor that Deron Williams is to blame. There is no denying the fact that the Jazz have been a frustrating bunch in recent weeks, and their inconsistent play has indeed sparked tension in the locker room. However, both Sloan and Williams know not to let a halftime squabble lead to knee-jerk, emotional reactions. I believe Sloan left because he truly felt that it was time to leave, not because he had an argument with Deron Williams.

---In addition to Sloan, the Jazz will miss the presence of assistant coach Phil Johnson, who stepped down as well on Thursday. As Kenny Smith pointed out last night on TNT, Phil Johnson was synonymous with Jerry Sloan. Sloan and Johnson worked in tandem, and the Jazz will be hard-pressed to find a coaching duo as potent as Sloan-Johnson.

---I wish the best of luck to new head coach Tyrone Corbin, but he has to be as nervous as Charlie Sheen before a drug test. All eyes are on Salt Lake City right now, and Corbin will have to earn the trust of his players if the Jazz are to hold onto their playoff spot in the West.

---Speaking of which, I'm not too confident that Utah will be able to persevere and make the playoffs this season. The Jazz currently possess the seventh playoff spot in the West, but my guess is that the Blazers and Rockets will eclipse the Jazz to make the playoffs.

---The Carmelo Anthony trade rumors persist, and he has now been linked to another suitor: the Los Angeles Lakers. The two-time defending champs are denying the rumors, but a potential Carmelo to L.A. deal is immensely intriguing. If I'm Mitch Kupchak, I would make the trade for 'Melo in a heartbeat. Carmelo Anthony is one of the ten best players in the NBA, and a Kobe-Melo duo would be absolutely frightening for opposing teams. I just do not understand the Lakers' stubborn unwillingness to part ways with Andrew Bynum. Bynum, for my money, is one of the game's most overhyped players.

---However, I hate the Lakers, and I am desperately hoping that Melo does not land in Hollywood. Now back to our regularly scheduled, unbiased programming.

---The Spurs continue to dominate. Gregg Popovich's team is having a season for the ages, and nobody seems to be noticing. I'm sure the Spurs don't mind. That's just the way they like it. I expect Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli, Tim Duncan and company to be back in the NBA Finals this season.

---Congratulations to the great Ray Allen, who passed the great Reggie Miller last night to become the NBA's all time three-point leader. Allen is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who continues to perform at a startlingly high level.

---My thoughts and prayers are with the Cleveland Cavaliers. I feel absolutely terrible for Byron Scott's team, whose historic 26-game losing streak has put them at a stunningly bad 8 wins and 45 losses. Here's hoping the Cavs start winning soon. The fans and the franchise deserve better.

---What Kevin Love is doing in Minnesota is amazing. The T'Wolves are terrible, but Love is absolutely brilliant, averaging 15-plus boards a game. Kudos to Commissioner Stern for appointing Love to the All-Star Game. It would have been a crying shame if Love hadn't made the team.

---I will end with an observation regarding LeBron James and the Miami Heat. Yes, they are playing fantastic basketball. However, I still stand behind my belief that they will be unable to defeat the Boston Celtics come playoff time.

Super Bowl Media Day: The Questions I Wanted to Hear

Media Day at the Super Bowl is one of the most wildly entertaining days of the year, an incessantly frivolous affair that often features bizarre non-sequiters instead of serious questions. As we anticipate Super Bowl XLV between the Packers and Steelers, allow me to present a list of hard-hitting journalistic questions that I would have asked had I been in Arlington:



---"Mr. Polamalu, is it true that the movie "127 Hours" is a documentary about the length of time it takes to prepare your hair?"



---"Mr. Roethlisberger, what type of irresponsible, scandalous behavior do you have planned for this offseason?"



---"Be honest, Aaron Rodgers, on a scale of one to ten, how much do you hate Brett Favre?"



---"Hines Ward, you are a tremendous receiver, but why do you always look like you are about to cry when the cameras show you on the sideline?"

---"Coach McCarthy, how is your relationship with your daughter Jenny?"

---"Will it be tough focusing on the big game when there are so many hilarious commercials?"

---"Hey, Jerry Jones, will you consider adding another humongous jumbotron at Cowboys Stadium for the game on Sunday? After all, it is the Super Bowl."

---"The Packers players are here, but where the hell is Vince Lombardi?"

---"Seriously Mr. Polamalu, who would win a battle between your hair and Donald Trump's hair?"

---"Coaches Tomlin and McCarthy, have you considered filming videos of your wives' feet, a la Rex Ryan?"

---"Could any of you players beat Ed Hochuli in an arm-wrestling match?"