<
        >

          New York Knicks

          Reggie to Melo: Be careful what you ask for

          • Ohm Youngmisuk, ESPN Staff WriterOct 22, 2013, 07:34 PM ET
            Close
              Ohm Youngmisuk has covered the Giants, Jets and the NFL since 2006. Prior to that, he covered the Nets, Knicks and the NBA for nearly a decade. He joined ESPNNewYork.com after working at the New York Daily News for almost 12 years and is a graduate of Michigan State University.
              Follow him on Twitter »  Ohm's chat archive »
            Follow on X

          Reggie Miller understands why Carmelo Anthony wants to opt out of his contract next summer to become a free agent.

          But the former Indiana Pacers sharpshooter, who spent his entire career with the Pacers, also warns Melo of what could potentially happen if he leaves the Knicks for a perceived championship contender.

          "Everyone wants to be wooed and go through that process," Miller, now a TNT analyst, said Tuesday on a conference call. "What I would say to Carmelo is, 'Be careful what you ask for.’ We saw what happened with LeBron [James]. Right now, you play in the No. 1 media market in the world in terms of professional basketball. What better place to be successful and try to win a championship than in New York?

          "It would be hard to imagine him leaving there," Miller continued. "The grass isn’t always greener. The grass was greener for LeBron and he’s won back-to-back [titles], but what he went through to get there was such a firestorm.”

          Anthony can opt out of his contract and re-sign with the Knicks for a five-year deal worth $129.1 million. If he were to sign a max deal with another team, Anthony could earn $95.9 million over four years, according to ESPN salary-cap expert Larry Coon.

          Winning will certainly be important to Anthony. Miller, though, believes the Knicks will likely be the "fifth-best team in the Eastern Conference."

          "I think they’ll be a better team defensively bringing in Metta [World Peace]," Miller said. "If you listen to [Knicks coach] Mike Woodson, the Knicks took a step back defensively last season, and adding Metta will help toughness-wise and defensively. That’s where this team is going to have to win anywhere from five to 10 ballgames. … Can they do that for an entire season? That remains to be seen.

          "It would be great if they could get to that fourth spot, between them and Brooklyn, to get that home-court advantage in the playoffs," Miller added. "I never want to count out a proven scorer like Carmelo Anthony. Scoring won’t be an issue, but you’ve got to be able to have a flow in your offense. But right now, the flow isn’t there offensively for the Knicks.”

          Do you agree with Reggie? Let us know.