After speculation has been running wild about Carmelo Anthony shutting it down for the rest of the season, it finally appears that's exactly what he's going to do after this weekend.
Thursday on ESPN Radio the New York Knicks superstar said that he's "very likely" to sit out the rest of the year following this weekend's All-Star Game.
"I got to start thinking about the future," Anthony said.
The reason speculation has lingered for months now is due to the nagging injuries Melo has had to endure. He's been plagued with knee soreness the entire season which he seemed to have re-aggravated in Monday night's game against the Miami Heat.
Anthony also sat out Wednesday night against Orlando which marked the 13th game he's missed this season, notes CBS Sports.
It's a likely positive situation for all parties involved.
Both the organization and Anthony would like to sit out, rest, and heal with an eye towards next season. The lowly 10-43 Knicks have the worst record in the NBA and have already begun the tank job to play out the string.
Anthony sitting out will allow the team to finish with a worst record, helping matters when the NBA Draft Lottery comes around. This is simply just another situation of intentional tanking that cannot be proved.
Whether the starting forward for the Eastern Conference will participate in the All-Star Game at his home arena (Madison Square Garden) this Sunday is still in doubt.
Melo is currently averaging 24.2 points per game during this season that everybody associated with anything Knicks cannot wait to forget.
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