Amar’e Stoudemire believes the addition of Carmelo Anthony disrupted the chemistry of the New York Knicks during their time together, implying that the team’s offense became stagnant once Anthony arrived.
During an appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, the former Knicks All-Star reflected on how the team’s playstyle shifted after Anthony’s trade from the Denver Nuggets in 2011.
“Once we brought in another superstar like Carmelo, he requires a lot of attention,” Stoudemire said. “So when Melo comes to our team, the ball is not moving as much because Melo requires a lot of attention. He's one of the offensive greats. So when he gets the basketball, he's looking to score.”
Stoudemire noted that the offensive flow and cohesion that defined the Knicks’ early success under head coach Mike D’Antoni faded following Anthony’s arrival.
Amar'e Stoudemire was asked why the Knicks didn't win back then and takes shots at Carmelo Anthony saying the ball stopped moving
How bout the fact that you played zero defense, were always hurt, and the only time you hit the glass was when you punched the fire extinguisher? pic.twitter.com/qPphiKmqTF
— EverythingKnicks (@EverythinKnicks) October 28, 2025
“So, a lot of the cohesiveness somewhat faded away during that time,” he continued. “And then I also started suffering some injuries year two, year three, battling back and forth, and that's kind of how things panned out throughout that time in New York. We tried our best. We gave it all we got, but we just couldn’t get over the hump.”
Amar’e Stoudemire suggests Carmelo Anthony’s ball-dominant style disrupted Knicks’ momentum
Anthony joined the Knicks in February 2011 in a blockbuster deal that sent Wilson Chandler, Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Timofey Mozgov, and draft picks to Denver. The move paired two of the league’s brightest stars at the time, sparking championship aspirations for a franchise that had long struggled to find postseason success.
Stoudemire had been playing at an MVP-caliber level before the trade, averaging 25.3 points and 8.2 rebounds during the 2010–11 season. After Anthony’s arrival, the Knicks made three straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2013 — their deepest postseason run at the time since 2000. That benchmark stood until last season, when the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals before falling to the Indiana Pacers.
However, injuries to Stoudemire and multiple coaching changes limited the duo’s long-term potential. Anthony continued to thrive individually, winning the NBA scoring title in 2013 and remaining the face of the franchise for much of the decade.
Anthony, now a Hall of Famer following his 2025 induction, has not publicly addressed Stoudemire’s recent comments. Despite their differences, both players remain significant figures in Knicks history — remembered for bringing playoff relevance back to Madison Square Garden during a transitional era for the team.
Stoudemire’s remarks add another layer to the narrative surrounding their partnership, one that began with high expectations but ultimately fell short of championship contention. For fans, it remains one of the great “what if” stories in modern Knicks basketball.
