Carmelo Anthony is ready to call his Knicks back to practice. In October

Posted on | Wednesday, August 31, 2011 | No Comments

He's only played half a season and one playoff series as a member of the New York Knicks, but All-Star scoring forward Carmelo Anthony has already jutted to the top of the heap when it comes to team leadership. At least on record, assuming he follows through. Giddy after a strong showing at an exhibition game in his hometown of Baltimore on Tuesday night, Anthony told ESPN New York that he would attempt to wrangle in his Knick teammates for unofficial workouts, should the NBA's lockout cost its teams an orthodox, team-run training camp.

Here's Melo:

"Most likely I think as the month goes on, probably early October, well start getting guys together," Anthony said. "I'll make it my duty to get guys together whether it's in LA, New York or a neutral place."

[?]

"I'm trying to find Amare man," Anthony said with a laugh. "If anybody's seen Amare just tell him [I'm looking for him]. I don't know where he's at man. I heard he's in China, I heard he's back. Maybe I'll see him in New York next week for Fashion Week."

Somehow I don't think Willis Reed knew which week Fashion Week was. And I really don't think Willis Reed knew that Fashion Week was his best chance to locate Dave DeBusschere, following a long offseason.

That's the modern NBA athlete, though. Events like Fashion Week are why Carmelo and Amar'e Stoudemire wanted to become Knicks, and we heartily applaud Anthony attempting to get his team together, especially with all the roster upheaval the Knicks have undergone over the last few years. With the team capped out (no matter what sort of salary structure the new collective bargaining agreement dictates) and no first-round picks coming down the pike due to the Anthony trade, New York's best chance at improving has to come from internal development.

This is where Anthony, and his unofficial team workouts, come in. Of course, the best remedy is just to enjoy a training camp unfettered by labor vs. ownership disagreements, but we might be past that point as September rolls around.

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