Jamal Crawford: Leaving Knicks to Make Way For Carmelo Anthony Trade Was Devastating

After spending the first four seasons of his career in Chicago, Jamal Crawford joined the Knicks and quickly became a key player for the team. By his fourth campaign, he averaged over 20 points and was on the brink of stardom. However, right after his most productive season, he was traded to the Warriors in 2008 as the team cleared cap space to make a run at LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony in 2010. Despite that, he harbors no hard feelings.

On the Tidal League show, Crawford spoke about his time in New York and claimed he was keen on signing an extension with the Knicks. He was initially upset but later understood why the team made the move. He said,

“I was so devastated when I got traded. I was like, ‘Damn, I could have left when it was bad!’. We went through some of the darkest times. I said, ‘Nah, I wanna be here when it’s good’. As soon as it starts turning good… we get traded for a chance at LeBron, and I think Amar’e and Melo [Carmelo Anthony] in 2010. And I get it, but I was like, ‘Damn!’… That’s another part of the business of basketball.”

https://twitter.com/TidalLeague/status/1840751981016535059

The Knicks got Al Harrington in return for Crawford, whose contract expired in 2010, leaving New York with enough cap room to sign LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. However, they failed in their pursuit of the forward and instead settled for Amar’e Stoudemire and months later acquired the then-Nuggets forward.

They were expected to help the Knicks become an Eastern Conference superpower, but it didn’t pan out as they hoped.

Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire’s time in New York

The Knicks made it to the NBA Playoffs in Anthony and Stoudemire’s first two seasons together but couldn’t get past the first round. Their third year together was their best, as they won 54 games, their highest win total since the 1996-97 season, where they finished with 57.

They beat the Celtics in the first round but couldn’t get past the Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals. However, that was the peak of their time together. Stoudemire’s injury issues kept piling and the team eventually released him in 2015. Two years later, they traded Anthony to the Thunder, ending his six-year stint with the franchise.

While Jamal Crawford believes the team was justified in trading him, the superstars they acquired from the cap room they created didn’t lead them to much success.