Melo: Surgery will extend playing career
It wasn't an easy decision, but going under the knife in February to repair a torn patellar tendon in his left knee could be what keeps New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony on top of his game until his contract ultimately runs out with the franchise.
"Surgery was scary," Anthony said following practice Saturday, according to the New York Post's Marc Berman. "I wasn't a guy who went straight to surgery for anything. Taking care of this put me in position to perform at a high level for the next couple of years."
The 31-year-old last stepped on the hardwood for a meaningful NBA game on Feb. 9 against the Miami Heat. He did, however, suit up for the Eastern Conference All-Star team six days later at Madison Square Garden before electing to have surgery, keeping him on the sidelines for the remainder of the year.
The Knicks went 7-22 in Anthony's absence, and their final record of 17-65 was the worst in franchise history. Team president Phil Jackson completely overhauled the roster this offseason to prevent such a repeat in the standings, but regardless of the numerous changes to New York's core, the Knicks' fate will ultimately lie with Anthony and how soon he can return to form.
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"I think the further I get along, the better it will be," Anthony said of his knee. "Though I'm cleared to play and had no setbacks, I'm still continuing to rehab every day. It was a good test for me to get through the two-a-days."
An injury of that magnitude would be enough to derail most NBA careers, but Anthony pointed out that his style of play should help keep his knee relatively healthy.
"If I was a guy who played above the rim or at a fast pace, running and jumping, very athletic, I'd be singing a different tune," Anthony said. "The way I know how to pace myself, not a guy who plays above the rim on every play, it works in my favor."
Anthony averaged 24.2 points on 44.4 percent shooting in 40 appearances last season. He will now enter the second year of a five-year, $124-million contract extension he signed back in 2014.