Right now, it’s a match made in Hell with no similarities between the two sides. It’s apples and oranges, A and Z. There’s one party all the way to the left, and the other all the way to the right.

The New York Knicks are a team rebuilding, three years, at best, away from maybe contending in the Eastern Conference again. Carmelo Anthony? He’s an overpaid, 31-year-old ‘superstar’ on the downside of his career.


The Knicks and Phil Jackson are building for the future. Melo needs to win now. So, just like 50 percent of other marriages, the two sides seem headed for an ugly divorce.

Truthfully, the best thing for Melo and the Knicks may have been an early separation just a year ago. When Jackson was brought in, he sang Anthony tales of a team that would be winning soon. That the Knicks, while still a few pieces away, would be better his first full season in charge. Then, the next year, add the pieces needed to compete. It was a fairy tale, one not even Disney would touch, but Anthony bought it hook, line and sinker. He opted out of his contract with the Knicks, spurned the Derrick Rose-led Bulls and signed on the dotted line of a brand new five-year, $124 million contract.

But these Knicks weren’t better last season, but worse. These Knicks weren’t a few pieces away, but a team. These Knicks weren’t retooling, they were rebuilding. The unit, bruised and beaten, finished the season 17-65, their worst mark in franchise history.

Jackson realized he had a long road in front of him. Anthony, apparently, did not.

The truth is there is no quick fix for the Knicks. There is no LeBron James in free agency that will take the team from bottom feeder to championship contender. After the draft lottery graciously awarded the Knicks the fourth spot, there wasn’t exactly a player there either that would turn New York’s embarrassment to its golden child.

So, when time came for Jackson to pick in Thursday night’s draft, he did what he should: He selected a player in Kristaps Porzingis that will take time to develop, time the Knicks will use to build. Then, he traded the only player in the NBA to play worse defense than Anthony (Tim Hardaway Jr.) for another player to help New York’s future --Jerian Grant.

No, the two moves weren’t the sexy picks. But they were the right ones. For where the Knicks roster is right now, they were the moves that will benefit them in the long run.

“(Anthony’s) furious. He’s livid,” NBA Insider Stephen A. Smith said on Mad Dog Sports Radio Friday, citing multiple sources. “He feels completely hoodwinked and betrayed by Phil Jackson. He feels like he was lied to, like he was sold a bill of goods. He knew that he couldn’t get as much money anywhere else, and he’s willing to concede that he wanted his money. But he didn’t know it was going to be like this.

“He didn’t know it was going to be this bad. And he can’t believe that his second season under the Phil Jackson regime, he has to look forward to it being worse than even last year was.”

Sure, there was always hope entering the draft. Hope that maybe D’Angelo Russell or Jahlil Okafor would fall. Hope that a team would trade up with the Knicks for the fourth pick and in turn New York would get a proven veteran and additional draft selections.

But that wasn’t realistic. And there’s no way Anthony didn’t know that. The Knicks are in a full-on rebuild mode. The only player that isn’t built for a rebuild is he.

There’s only one solution? And truthfully, it may be the best move either side can make all offseason.

If Anthony’s return to New York was all about money, than there’s no reason to talk. He should sit, enjoy the twilight of his NBA career and walk away with more money than many in the league wouldn’t see if they played 30 years. If he really was that naive to believe these Knicks needed just a Band-Aid fix instead of the open-heart surgery they’ve presently just begun, then it’s time he picks up his phone.

Jackson’s number is in there-- Granted his contact might not begin with ‘Phil,’ but rather a nickname for ‘Richard.’ It’s not hard to set up an appointment, sit the President down and say ‘Look, I think we need to see other people.’ With all of his flaws, Anthony is still a player that can help a team on the cusp of a title get over the hump. He’s still, when healthy, capable of dropping 35 any given night.

He still has value. And right now what Anthony’s worth to another team is more useful to the Knicks than what he’s worth to New York on the floor.

If the Knicks get a young player, a first-round pick and a team that’s willing to consume a large portion of Anthony’s deal, that’s perfect. If a team is willing to part with just picks, but eat his deal, that’s worth it, too. The goal for New York now, if Anthony truly wants to win, is to go and let him play for a winner.

Anthony holds all the cards. He, and he only, can waive his no-trade clause. If he really wants to win, and he really feels “betrayed,” than it’s not hard to make a call and tell Jackson to start looking for potential suitors.

Melo ‘came home’ five years ago, and it was fun while it lasted. There was the magical run three years ago, and countless nights he set The Garden ablaze. But as the cliché goes, all good things must come to an end.

And now? It’s time to make this apparently inevitable divorce as un-ugly as possible.

Connor Hughes is the Sports Content Manager for About.com and can be reached on Twitter (@Connor_J_Hughes). Be sure to follow About Sports on Twitter ( @AboutSports) and 'like' us on Facebook