Clyde Frazier: Carmelo Anthony should stay with Knicks, is not ‘the problem’

Carmelo Anthony is almost certainly not going to be playing for the New York Knicks next season, and most people feel that is for the best. Apparently NBA legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier is not most people.

Frazier, who is the color commentator for Knicks games on the MSG Network, said Tuesday that he does not believe Anthony is the “problem” and that he should remain in New York.

“I would like to see Melo stay,” Frazier said, via Ian Begley of ESPN.com. “There’s a lot of negativity going on right now, so I don’t know. I don’t think he’s the problem. They have to improve defense, get some more talent, and having Melo would be fine.”

If Anthony wants to stay with the Knicks, the choice is all his. He has a full no-trade clause and can veto any deal the team agrees to. While he has publicly stated several times that he loves living in The Big Apple and doesn’t want to leave, Phil Jackson has said recently that he does not believe the Knicks are title contenders and that Carmelo would be better off elsewhere.

Assuming winning an NBA title is Anthony’s main priority, leaving New York is a must. The Knicks are nowhere near a championship, and another one of their star players even seems frustrated with the direction of the team.

Anthony will be 33 in just two weeks. He’s running out of time to capture a ring.