Neither of them was the best player at their position in their era but both were at least top five or higher for more than a decade.
Ewing's mouth kept making playoff promises he didn't keep and there was always a team or two better than his team. Although the Charles Smith year, The Starks game 7 year and the Miami wander off the bench year were all good opportunities to win a championship and it didn't happen. That hurts his legacy. Would Mark Messier be looked at the same way in NY if the Rangers lost game 7 in 1994?
As far as Anthony goes, the Knicks gutted their team to trade for him when he would have been free to sign as a free agent a few months later. It was a potential lockout year and Anthony was concerned the new CBA could cost him a lot of money. That turned a lot of people off. I can't say I blame him potentially many multiple of millions of dollars could have been lost.
I’d have to back and look at all those teams and also who was available. But the Knicks were in the mix and it’s not like Ewing played without any talent. He had enough to win, but just couldn’t ever get everything lined up for a title. Ewing was a great Knick.
Notwithstanding the Knicks postseason advance to round 2 in 2012-2013, whenever Melo got his hands on the ball, the Knicks offense came to a screeching halt. The Denver trade should never have been made.
I’d have to back and look at all those teams and also who was available. But the Knicks were in the mix and it’s not like Ewing played without any talent. He had enough to win, but just couldn’t ever get everything lined up for a title. Ewing was a great Knick.
I'm arguing he never had a legit #2 like MJ with Pippen, Shaq with Kobe, Hakeem with Drexler in '95, Chuck with KJ, Isiah with Dumars.
Although it doesn’t surprise me. But this guy was tough to like as a Knick-he had one great year with the veterans surrounding him (aka nobody followed his lead in terms of defensive work ethic and just fed him the ball and let him score) and otherwise it was just blah. You got the sense he was much more concerned with the only thing he could do well (historically well) and nothing else.
I have a lot of respect for what Randle did this year even though he had a poor playoff showing because it’s something Melo absolutely would not have done with this roster. Randle is a leader, flawed as he may be. Melo wasn’t built that way.
I’d have to back and look at all those teams and also who was available. But the Knicks were in the mix and it’s not like Ewing played without any talent. He had enough to win, but just couldn’t ever get everything lined up for a title. Ewing was a great Knick.
I'm arguing he never had a legit #2 like MJ with Pippen, Shaq with Kobe, Hakeem with Drexler in '95, Chuck with KJ, Isiah with Dumars.
Yeah. No question. I mean, some of the examples you listed are like the best players in history. My only point was that the Knicks really tried to get the right mix of players for really all of Patrick’s career. He also had two of the best coaches the Knicks ever had. And while the Ewing era Knicks never did get that title, history might remember Gran ma ma or the Oakman or Starks or Spree or Houston or Smith or even Shimmy shimmy coco puff a little different if they had managed to win a title with Pat. Anyway, they didn’t.
Ewing's mouth kept making playoff promises he didn't keep and there was always a team or two better than his team. Although the Charles Smith year, The Starks game 7 year and the Miami wander off the bench year were all good opportunities to win a championship and it didn't happen. That hurts his legacy. Would Mark Messier be looked at the same way in NY if the Rangers lost game 7 in 1994?
As far as Anthony goes, the Knicks gutted their team to trade for him when he would have been free to sign as a free agent a few months later. It was a potential lockout year and Anthony was concerned the new CBA could cost him a lot of money. That turned a lot of people off. I can't say I blame him potentially many multiple of millions of dollars could have been lost.
I'm arguing he never had a legit #2 like MJ with Pippen, Shaq with Kobe, Hakeem with Drexler in '95, Chuck with KJ, Isiah with Dumars.
I have a lot of respect for what Randle did this year even though he had a poor playoff showing because it’s something Melo absolutely would not have done with this roster. Randle is a leader, flawed as he may be. Melo wasn’t built that way.
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I’d have to back and look at all those teams and also who was available. But the Knicks were in the mix and it’s not like Ewing played without any talent. He had enough to win, but just couldn’t ever get everything lined up for a title. Ewing was a great Knick.
I'm arguing he never had a legit #2 like MJ with Pippen, Shaq with Kobe, Hakeem with Drexler in '95, Chuck with KJ, Isiah with Dumars.
Yeah. No question. I mean, some of the examples you listed are like the best players in history. My only point was that the Knicks really tried to get the right mix of players for really all of Patrick’s career. He also had two of the best coaches the Knicks ever had. And while the Ewing era Knicks never did get that title, history might remember Gran ma ma or the Oakman or Starks or Spree or Houston or Smith or even Shimmy shimmy coco puff a little different if they had managed to win a title with Pat. Anyway, they didn’t.