For one, Walsh didn't want to do the deal with Denver, not the deal the New York Knicks ended up making. For two, Walsh publicly kicked himself after the Melo trade for not calling Utah about Deron Williams, pilfered in the night by the Brooklyn-bound Nets.

Deep down, Walsh had to know Anthony was a poor fit for Mike D'Antoni's system and for Amar'e Stoudemire's game. The executive had been around the league forever, and had sharpened his street smarts as a young prospect out of Riverdale on the Rucker Park court. Walsh didn't want to give up the kitchen sink to Denver if it would leave his own house in disarray.

As it turned out, the Knicks would've been positively mad to leave the Nuggets hanging at the negotiating table. Denver wanted Timofey Mozgov added to an ever-widening package of talent, and Walsh and D'Antoni didn't want to do it. They wanted to wait out the Nuggets at the very least, push them closer to the trade deadline, before Jim Dolan, God bless him, actually made the smart call and put the 7-foot-1 Mozgov in the deal after meeting with Anthony at the All-Star Game in Los Angeles.

The same Mozgov now averaging 2.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 11.7 minutes for the 4-6 Nuggets.

So outside his Madison Square Garden locker room following an early and ugly 88-76 victory over Walsh's Pacers, Anthony was asked if he believed Walsh was in full support of Dolan's desire to bring him to New York.

"I never even knew who was behind it or anything like that," Anthony told ESPNNewYork.com. "It was just a matter of getting here and making it work. I don't think I really had to sell it to [Dolan]. ... In the end, Donnie was the guy who said it was worth it because he's the guy who pulled the trigger on it."

Yes, Walsh did officially close the deal, one he can call his own if these 7-1 Knicks go ahead and win their first NBA title in 40 years. Outside his locker room, after he was done scoring 26 points and grabbing nine rebounds against the Pacers, Anthony said he was trying not to think about that potential parade, trying not to get ahead of himself before the season even hit Thanksgiving.

"But if that day would ever happen," he said, "it would mean so much to me."

The subject of defense came up, because it always comes up with Knicks teams that have a shot at ending what's become a biblical championship drought.

"There's extra motivation now," Anthony said in the hallway. "I know I can do it. I know I can play it. To always hear that you don't play defense, or that your team doesn't play defense, that will get to anybody."

It got to Anthony. After building his reputation as a prolific scorer, he was suddenly struck by an epiphany on the other side of the floor.

Melo watched LeBron James win the ring he so desperately needed for his own standing in the sport. He helped LeBron and Coach K win another Olympic gold medal by embracing all of their team-centric goals, and then spent some extra time around Tyson Chandler and Jason Kidd, selfless teammates who put Dirk Nowitzki on a float in Dallas.

Anthony showed up for training camp lighter and more determined, a new man singing a new song. He opened the season by jacking up 28 shots against the Miami Heat, missing 18 of them, but he did rebound and defend, and his devotion to the blood-and-guts necessities of championship-level ball has gone unchallenged ever since.

"I always thought Melo was a guy who could do everything," Walsh maintained in the Garden on Sunday, "and I think ... he saw they could have a really good team and that he could do everything, and he's done it.

"He can defend, he can rebound, he can pass. There's nothing I can think of in basketball Carmelo can't do."

Asked why it took Anthony 10 years to figure out he needed to commit himself on the defensive end, Walsh said, "You'll have to ask him that."

So Melo was asked during his standard postgame briefing at his locker why it appears he's been watching tape of the '85 Bears.

"Just my focus now with the team I have," he said. "Everybody knows I can score the basketball, that's a no-brainer. But for me it was being able to go out there and say, 'Today I'm going to lead my team. I'm going to defend. I'm going to help out. I'm going to do what I've got to do. I'm going to sacrifice something out there on the basketball court.' That was my motivation ... to approach this season as a new beginning for me. My focus is extremely high right now."

Melo's focus was required for this sleepy noontime start, as the Knicks didn't return from their Memphis loss until just before dawn Saturday. Last season, Chandler would say, "We let this game slip away." This isn't last season, and these aren't Mike D'Antoni's Knicks.

These are very much Mike Woodson's Knicks, a team as tough as its schedule. The Knicks are back out for three road games this week, including Friday's reunion in Houston with their not-so-dearly-departed friend, Jeremy Lin.

Walsh said his successor, Glen Grunwald, did the right thing in letting go of Lin and his future $15 million wage and in bringing back Raymond Felton, whom Walsh called "the one guy I didn't really want to give up in that trade."

The Melo trade. Walsh eventually signed off on it, and Grunwald later added enough winning veteran parts to replace the players shipped to Denver, and then some. Walsh called the Knicks' wide range of talent "as good as anybody's."

Above all, Anthony's presence made that statement possible. Melo said he is "absolutely, by far" a better player than the one his former boss traded for two seasons ago, and with every passing possession, it's getting harder to dispute the point.

Donnie Walsh said he knew Anthony had it in him all along, and Knicks fans don't really care if that's the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. They do care that the Denver deal is one that ultimately left them with a fully engaged superstar, the kind of thing you need to win it all.

Melo does have his flaws but who doesn't. I'm just happy we have one of the most talented players in the NBA.

At 7-1, the Knicks rebounded nicely from their loss at Memphis on Friday night and continued to look like one of the NBA’s elite teams. Credit must be given to Walsh, whose trade on Feb. 22, 2011, to acquire Carmelo Anthony from Denver laid the groundwork for what the Knicks are now.

“I didn’t think there was one thing he couldn’t do,” Walsh said of Anthony yesterday. “Now he’s doing all of them.”

Felton was one of several Knicks shipped to Denver for Anthony. Walsh sent Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Timofey Mozgov and a first-round draft pick to the Nuggets for Anthony and Chauncey Billups. The trade was the culmination of three years of digging the Knicks out from the salary-cap hell created during the Isiah Thomas era. There was plenty of bad basketball that had to be endured as Walsh dealt players for expiring contracts.

The master plan of signing LeBron James to a free-agent contract didn’t work, but the Knicks used the cap space to sign Amar’e Stoudemire and eventually acquire Anthony, who came at a high price.

“Either you want Carmelo or you say no,” Walsh said. “I just thought we’re never going to get another chance to get him.”Walsh, 71, left after the 2010-11 season and is now president of basketball operations for the Pacers. But his imprint on the Knicks remains as long as Anthony, Stoudemire and even Felton are here. It tells you something that Felton wanted to search out Walsh and give him a hug and a handshake.

“We had a conversation after [the trade],” Felton said. “I definitely understood.”

After struggling in Denver and Portland, Felton is reaping the benefits of the trade. It’s a rare situation where his sacrifice is now working to his benefit. Anthony’s 26 points and nine rebounds accounted for much of the Knicks’ offense on a day when points were hard to come by. Defensively, Anthony played just as hard, setting the tone for the entire team.

“He’s got himself in great shape and he’s with a group of guys that I think he believes in and so he’s doing it,” Walsh said. “I think he always tried to win the game and wants to win. But when you’re there and you don’t know if there are other guys there that can do it [offensively], then maybe you overextend on that end of it. Now, he’s doing everything because he’s got a good team.”

Walsh said he has no regrets about his tenure as the Knicks’ general manager. He shouldn’t. The Knicks were a franchise without leadership before he got here. The salary cap was a mess and there was little hope for change. Now the Knicks are 7-1 and looking like a team that could realistically contend for a championship.

“I’m really happy for the fans because during the years when we were breaking the team up, we went through two years that we were going to lose,” Walsh said. “So I’m glad that they can come in now and say, ‘Wow, this team could be really good,’ because I think they will be.”

Class act who has no reason not to tell it like it is/was about the trade. Not like he thinks he's got an ice cube's chance in hell of ever making any deals with Dolanitis. Or talking nice to keep career bridges open.

Thanks, Donnie! IT is an ugly blip in the rear view, thanks to you!

Bonn1997 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Killa4luv wrote:I can't wait to see the responses.

Melo haters don't care if Gallo is back in Italy, Chandler back in China, and Moz back in Russia in 2 years.

Nor should the Melo critics care. The issue is what else we could have gotten for that package at the time and/or what player(s) could we have gotten instead of Melo if we'd had room to sign a max contract FA.

Maybe Iggy?

[shudder]

Bonn1997 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Killa4luv wrote:I can't wait to see the responses.

Melo haters don't care if Gallo is back in Italy, Chandler back in China, and Moz back in Russia in 2 years.

Nor should the Melo critics care. The issue is what else we could have gotten for that package at the time and/or what player(s) could we have gotten instead of Melo if we'd had room to sign a max contract FA.

We could all speculate at what could have been done differently, who we could have traded for, who we could have signed but considering where we are today I have no complaints.

jrodmc wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Killa4luv wrote:I can't wait to see the responses.

Melo haters don't care if Gallo is back in Italy, Chandler back in China, and Moz back in Russia in 2 years.

Nor should the Melo critics care. The issue is what else we could have gotten for that package at the time and/or what player(s) could we have gotten instead of Melo if we'd had room to sign a max contract FA.

Maybe Iggy?

[shudder]

No. We'd be sooooooo much better watching CP3 on the IR for most of the last two years. And watching him not run the PNR with STAT (injured) or Tyson (who wouldn't be here).

So now that the "3 potenshull HOF players" sheehit has finally died some kind of death, we move on to the neverending picks/cap space arguments. Soon to be followed by what we could have done with that 3 mil we gave away, too.

This trade whinging is almost getting comfortable. It's consistently constant. Sort of like low tide in Newark.

I'm really going to miss it.

Bonn1997 wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Killa4luv wrote:I can't wait to see the responses.

Melo haters don't care if Gallo is back in Italy, Chandler back in China, and Moz back in Russia in 2 years.

Nor should the Melo critics care. The issue is what else we could have gotten for that package at the time and/or what player(s) could we have gotten instead of Melo if we'd had room to sign a max contract FA.

Maybe Iggy?

[shudder]

No. We'd be sooooooo much better watching CP3 on the IR for most of the last two years. And watching him not run the PNR with STAT (injured) or Tyson (who wouldn't be here).

So now that the "3 potenshull HOF players" sheehit has finally died some kind of death, we move on to the neverending picks/cap space arguments. Soon to be followed by what we could have done with that 3 mil we gave away, too.

This trade whinging is almost getting comfortable. It's consistently constant. Sort of like low tide in Newark.

I'm really going to miss it.

The team is playing great now, although we can debate how much of a role Melo is playing in that. He's obviously helping the team but I don't think he's at anything close to an MVP level. After these 8 games, though, you're certainly doing much more gloating than many people did after several dozens of .400s ball post-trade (and .600s Nuggets' ball). You seem to have a myopic focus.

Why does .400 basketball keep getting brought up? Take Stoudemire and/or MDA out of the equation and Melo's success rate here is completely different. He's hardly lost. The argument is how good Melo is as a leader and how successful we can be, not how well does he fit with Stoudemire and playing MDA basketball.

I was happy they traded Felton, don't regret saying that because he is in a different situation now and Felton is running around like he's back in NC, not to mention playing smarter this time. Doesn't mean that he retroactively didn't make his share of mistakes on the court the last time he was here.

Melo still isn't a complete player, but he looks closer to it now than when he first got here and that is nothing to complain about.

Knixkik wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Killa4luv wrote:I can't wait to see the responses.

Melo haters don't care if Gallo is back in Italy, Chandler back in China, and Moz back in Russia in 2 years.

Nor should the Melo critics care. The issue is what else we could have gotten for that package at the time and/or what player(s) could we have gotten instead of Melo if we'd had room to sign a max contract FA.

Maybe Iggy?

[shudder]

No. We'd be sooooooo much better watching CP3 on the IR for most of the last two years. And watching him not run the PNR with STAT (injured) or Tyson (who wouldn't be here).

So now that the "3 potenshull HOF players" sheehit has finally died some kind of death, we move on to the neverending picks/cap space arguments. Soon to be followed by what we could have done with that 3 mil we gave away, too.

This trade whinging is almost getting comfortable. It's consistently constant. Sort of like low tide in Newark.

I'm really going to miss it.

The team is playing great now, although we can debate how much of a role Melo is playing in that. He's obviously helping the team but I don't think he's at anything close to an MVP level. After these 8 games, though, you're certainly doing much more gloating than many people did after several dozens of .400s ball post-trade (and .600s Nuggets' ball). You seem to have a myopic focus.

Why does .400 basketball keep getting brought up? Take Stoudemire and/or MDA out of the equation and Melo's success rate here is completely different. He's hardly lost. The argument is how good Melo is as a leader and how successful we can be, not how well does he fit with Stoudemire and playing MDA basketball.

It's part of having the RIGHT myopic outlook on life.

Is CP3 MVP potential? Is Iggy? I wasn't making any point about Melo being an MVP, just that anyone but the most determined hater would have to admit we are better off NOW. This minute. At 7 - 1.

.875 ball. Just maybe Melo could account for .050 of that?

tkf wrote:

TheloniusMonk wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

jrodmc wrote:

mrKnickShot wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Killa4luv wrote:I can't wait to see the responses.

Melo haters don't care if Gallo is back in Italy, Chandler back in China, and Moz back in Russia in 2 years.

Nor should the Melo critics care. The issue is what else we could have gotten for that package at the time and/or what player(s) could we have gotten instead of Melo if we'd had room to sign a max contract FA.

Maybe Iggy?

[shudder]

No. We'd be sooooooo much better watching CP3 on the IR for most of the last two years. And watching him not run the PNR with STAT (injured) or Tyson (who wouldn't be here).

So now that the "3 potenshull HOF players" sheehit has finally died some kind of death, we move on to the neverending picks/cap space arguments. Soon to be followed by what we could have done with that 3 mil we gave away, too.

This trade whinging is almost getting comfortable. It's consistently constant. Sort of like low tide in Newark.

I'm really going to miss it.

The team is playing great now, although we can debate how much of a role Melo is playing in that. He's obviously helping the team but I don't think he's at anything close to an MVP level. After these 8 games, though, you're certainly doing much more gloating than many people did after several dozens of .400s ball post-trade (and .600s Nuggets' ball). You seem to have a myopic focus.

Every team we have played has collapsed on Melo. Anyone who knows about basketball knows that creates a domino effect in how other players can be utilized. Not rocket science.

that is not true.. the spurs went at him with one man most of the game, either jackson or leonard... the grizzlies used mostly single coverage on him with gay... I didn't see the pacers double him much at all...

Dude do you even watch the games? The Spurs were sending 2-3 guys at Melo each and every time he caught the ball which is why during a huddle he told the team to use him as a decoy. Felton even talked about it during the post game show. That's the reason he only took 12 shots and was being commended for his best game of the season even though he only scored 9 points due to his 12 boards and passing out quickly.

Bottome line is that Melo gets doubled and doubled often although not on each and every possession as in the Spurs game. The Knicks are playing well as a team and Melo is a huge reason why, whether you prefer to admit it or not. However, Melo is not the only reason. Felton, Kidd, JR and the rest of the team are also doing their thing.