2012-13 Knicks are one of the top 5 NYC teams of the decade (Mets 2015? Rangers 2014-2015? Giants 2011? Who else?). The entire ordeal could've been handled better, and the only constant from when we acquired Melo to this second is that the organization has done everything to say it deserves its awful reputation.
Carmelo was a top 15 (top 20 AT absolute worst) player for most of his time here, but the bungling of the Billups buyout (if they bought out STAT instead of picking up Chauncey's option, the 2013+ teams would've been able to add a ton of depth and possibly another starter to surround Tyson and Melo, who were both balling the **** out) and general incompetence of Dolan and the front-office impeded it. Not to say Carmelo doesn't deserve some blame-- his defense stopped him from being the sole piece the Knicks needed to contend (which is why the Knicks best year is when Tyson was a leviathan in the paint) and he definitely didn't always have the best attitude.
The complaints were always over the top, and i'm even including myself from his first few years here, and it's unfortunate Carmelo ate the bile that deserves to be aimed at the slug Dolan. The return isn't amazing, Kanter sits in a weird spot of being overrated (huge contract) and underrated (impeccable offensive game for a big, could complement Kristaps well IF defensive issues can be mitigated)....Knicks fans LOVE Billy but Kanter is basically a better Billy and only 2 years older.
The high 2nd pick (Bulls are trash) is possibly better than a late first, which is probably what we could've expected for Carmelo at this point. All in all a disappointing end to a promising era, but the 50 win Knick team that beat the Celtics is the best Knicks team of the last 15 years, and arguably one of the first major successes of the "small-ball" style.
