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Rumors of a Carmelo Anthony reunion with the Knicks heat up

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Rumors are swirling a return of Carmelo Anthony to Madison Square Garden.
Rumors are swirling a return of Carmelo Anthony to Madison Square Garden.
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Rumors continue to swirl about a potential reunion between the Knicks and former star Carmelo Anthony, as the 38-year-old New York native remains a free agent looking for his next team. 

Anthony spent 6 years at Madison Square Garden between 2011-17, after a blockbuster trade sent the future Hall of Famer to his hometown team from the Denver Nuggets.

His time wearing blue and orange were among the best of his illustrious career, as Anthony averaged 24.8 points, 3.2 assists and 7 rebounds per game, which were all higher than his 17-year career totals of 22.5 points, 2.7 assists and 6.2 rebounds. 

In recent years, as he’s entered the back-half of his prime, his play has diminished, and he’s been relegated to a role player with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Portland Trailblazers and Los Angeles Lakers. 

Last season, he played just 26 minutes each game, marking the second-least of his career, and averaged 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1 assist playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis in a tumultuous season for the Lakers that saw them miss the postseason. 

For more coverage of Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks, head to amNY.com.

He’s made the playoffs 13 of 17 years, including 3 seasons with the Knicks. New York managed to make the second round only once during his tenure, when the team lost to the Indiana Pacers in 6 games during the 2012-13 season. 

A potential return to Madison Square Garden would come as after a split with the Lakers, which many NBA insiders consider to be a forgone conclusion as they look to add more youth to their roster. 

It would not likely be a costly reunion for the Knicks front office, as Anthony’s most recent contract was just a one-year deal for $2.6 million. New York could fairly easily free up enough room under the salary cap to add Anthony, and they currently have 2 open roster spots (with the potential to get more if a long-rumored trade happens for Donovan Mitchell of the Jazz).