Carmelo Anthony Pens Goodbye Letter to New York: 'I Will Always Love You'
Two days after he was traded to the Thunder, Carmelo Anthony posted a goodbye letter to the city of New York, the Knicks organization and Knicks fans to his website.
"New York equipped me to make it in any other place in the world," Anthony wrote. "It taught me how to Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable. Saying Goodbye is the hardest thing to do. I never thought I would, especially to you. No one will ever take your place.It’s hard to find someone like you, so know you will always be missed. You helped me laugh.You dried my tears. Because of you, I have no fears. You came into my life and I was blessed. It’s time to raise my hand and say goodbye. It’s not the end, because like I’ve always said, NYC ‘til the end."
After months of trade rumors and reports that a deal with the Rockets of Trail Blazers was imminent, the Thunder moved quickly to acquire Anthony, 33, on Saturday. In exchange for the 10-time All-Star's services, the Thunder are sending Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and Chicago's 2018 second-round pick.
It's the second major trade Oklahoma City has pulled off this summer. In July, the Thunder acquired Paul George from the Pacers in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis. George and Anthony will now pair with Russell Westbrook to form yet another vaunted team in the Western Conference that will look to wrestle supremacy away from the Warriors.
Anthony's roots in New York run deep; he lived in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn as a child and attended Syracuse for a season before being selected by the Nuggets with the third overall pick in 2003.
"I’ve known you for years now, and I must say they’ve been the best years I’ve ever had," Anthony wrote. "You helped me become the person I am today. I just want you to know YOU will always be in my heart. No matter what happens, I will always LOVE YOU. Although this goodbye is just temporary, this is the hardest goodbye for me to say. I wipe the tears off my cheek and smile at the same time because I know that we will meet again someday."
New York acquired Anthony from the Nuggets through a trade in 2011 and has been selected to the All-Star game each year he has been a Knick. While his propensity to look for his own shot and ball-stopping tendencies have alienated some, Anthony will be remembered as an accomplished Knick who conducted himself flawlessly off the court.
"This is a deal that works for both this franchise and Carmelo," Knicks president Steve Mills said in a statement announcing the trade and thanking Anthony. "We thank him for his seven seasons in a Knick uniform and all that he accomplished off the court for the City of New York by using his platform to address social issues."
