Amar’e Stoudemire insinuates that Carmelo Anthony held up New York

Amar’e Stoudemire believes the pass Carmelo Anthony disturbed the chemistry of the New York Knicks during their time together, implying that the team’s offense stagnated when Anthony arrived.

During an appearance on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, the former Knicks All-Star reflected on how the team’s style of play has changed since Anthony’s trade from the Denver Nuggets in 2011.

“When we bring in another superstar like Carmelo, he demands a lot of attention,” Stoudemire said. “So when Melo comes to our team, the ball doesn’t move as much because Melo demands a lot of attention. He’s one of the offensive bigs. So when he gets the basketball, he looks to score.”

Stoudemire noted that the offensive flow and cohesion that defined the Knicks’ early success under head coach Mike D’Antoni faded after Anthony’s arrival.

Amar’e Stoudemire was asked why the Knicks didn’t win then and shot Carmelo Anthony saying the ball stopped moving

How about you played zero defense, were always hurt, and the only time you hit glass was when you hit a fire extinguisher? pic.twitter.com/kPphiKmkTF

— EverythingKnicks (@EverithinKnicks) October 28, 2025

“So a lot of the cohesiveness kind of faded over that time,” he continued. “And then I also started going through some injuries in my second, third year, battling back and forth, and that’s the way things went during that time in New York. We tried our best. We gave it our all, 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 who 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 was 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 have limited the duo’s long-term potential. Anthony continued to thrive individually, winning the 2013 NBA scoring title and remaining the face of the franchise for most of the decade.

Anthony, now a member of the Hall of Fame, after being inducted in 2025has not publicly addressed Stoudemire’s recent comments. Despite their differences, both players remain significant figures in Knicks history – remembered for restoring playoff relevance 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 a championship. For fans, it remains one of the great “what if” stories of modern Knicks basketball.