How Does the Carmelo Anthony Trade Affect Everyone

In recent news, the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder agreed to a deal to send Carmelo Anthony to the Thunder in exchange for Doug McDermott, Enes Kanter, and a pick. How will this effect the Dallas Mavericks, the West, and the rest of the league?

When the news of the Carmelo Anthony trade dropped,my first reaction was shock. I couldn’t believe that OKC was still not satisfied with their team despite one of the biggest steals of the offseason in Paul George. Adding Melo made this a whole new ball game and one that I wasn’t sure I wanted to be on the other side of.

After it all had time to sink in, the concern for how Oklahoma City would be able to use three high usage All-Stars settled me down just a little bit. These guys aren’t just scorers or stars; they’re volume scorers and volume shooters. Can players like this even coexist on the court? What will be the outcome for this trade?

The effects from this trade will come at a number of levels and will be noticed league-wide, just like a surprising number of trades that have already happened this year. Melo has appeared to have been on the way out for some time now, but it has finally happened.

Let’s take a look at how this trade will change things on each level for a Dallas Mavericks fan like myself. The effect it makes on the Oklahoma City Thunder is obvious and will be talked about throughout all three sections.

DALLAS, TX – JANUARY 25: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks rebound against the Dallas Mavericks on January 25, 2017 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks were already going to have a tough time in the West this year. With a young team and coming off a rough season, Dallas is looking at the possibility of being near the bottom of the pile. With another All-Star coming to the West now, there is no arguing that every single team (aside from maybe the Clippers) got better this offseason.

That being said, the Thunder were already expected to be better than Dallas. Melo may change the team for the better or for the worse but Dallas is not equipped to handle them at this time. Expect to see 10 to 12 teams ahead of Dallas in preseason standings projections.

The specific move of Carmelo will have implications on Dallas, but none should change any expected results for the team.

NEW YORK CITY – NOVEMBER 28: Carmelo Anthony #7 of the New York Knicks grabs the loose ball against Russell Westbrook #0 of the Oklahoma City Thunder during a game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Western Conference

There are going to be questions about the fit of Melo in OKC and they are legitimate concerns, but it is very rare that an All-Star joining your team makes you worse. For that reason, the West did just get even stronger. I don’t think the Thunder are ready to dethrone the Warriors yet by any means, but the team is significantly better than it was last year.

With the NBA gold rush heading west bringing the conference players like Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Paul Millsap, and now Carmelo Anthony, there is a lot to be afraid of in the Western Conference. Teams like the Warriors, Spurs, and Rockets will still be the strength of the conference, but the Timberwolves, Nuggets, and Thunder have made moves to significantly improve their teams.

The west as a whole is stronger than it has ever been.

NEW YORK, NY – SEPTEMBER 11: Carmelo Anthony and Russell Westbrook attend Black Ops Basketball Session at Life Time Athletic At Sky on September 11, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images) /

The NBA

Obviously this further weakens the already diminishing Eastern Conference, but the loss of Melo may actually be a gain for New York. The Knicks will now be able to enter a rebuild that they have not been able to for a long time and they can finally remove the Carmelo Anthony sized noose that has been around their necks.

The East will notice the missing presence of Anthony but it will not have a huge effect on the playoffs or standings, seeing as the Knicks were nowhere near a playoff team last season. The entire scope of the NBA is changing and players are leaving at a quicker rate than ever before. That does not appear to be changing any time soon either.

Next: Harrison Barnes Talks Kyrie Irving Friendship, Trade Request

No one knows exactly how this will turn out for everyone involved, but there is no doubt that the Carmelo Anthony trade, along with the other trades and signings that have happened this summer, will cause a noticeable change.