2012

Wake me up in a couple of years. That's when the Knicks will have a chance at winning a championship. Not this year, not next year. This trade needed to happen, but it needed to happen not for a chance to win this year, but to attract the free agent class of 2012.

Dwight Howard and Chris Paul.

Both will become Knicks as the team is beginning their slow rebuild and becoming the Boston Celtics version 2.0. In 2012, after signing Howard and Paul, the Knicks will have fully assembled a team of ring less stars yearning for that championship to validate their careers. Howard and Paul won't be winning a title this year or next year. There is no doubt in my mind that these two will vacate their current homes and will likely move into the Garden.

OK, maybe there is some doubt, but there's a lot of hope, and that hasn't been a word in the Knicks' vocabulary recently.

Chris Paul has already expressed desire to be traded and with the uncertainty of the Hornets' franchise, he will likely leave if given the chance. Dwight Howard is the second coming of Shaq. Both started their careers with the Magic and became the best centers of their generations. Shaq left the Magic for La La Land and Dwight will leave the team for New York, New York.

The Knicks had to make this trade. Sure it weakened their depth by losing Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton, Wilson Chandler, and Timofey Mozgov, but they're gaining a superstar now and maybe more in the future. They couldn't back down from this trade just because they didn't want to give up the players they already have. The players they have are good, but Carmelo is great. There's no guarantee their players may not become great, but with this much potential for greatness, you have to make it happen.

Because of their lack of depth, the Knicks simply do not have a chance at winning the championship. The Celtics are too deep. The West is too deep. Heck, even the Heat is too deep. Without Carmelo, they wouldn't be winning this year or anytime in the future. You need stars to win. Lakers have stars, Celtics have stars, Spurs, Heat, Mavericks, Bulls. The Knicks wouldn't win with just Amare, and they won't win with just Amare and Carmelo.

So I'm looking to 2012. By then, either the Knicks will have Amare, Melo, Howard, and Chris Paul. Or the Knicks will have Amare, Melo and depth. Amare has brought some magic back to the Garden, Melo brings super high ticket prices. Howard and Paul will see that along with the allure of rings and bring their talents to NY. Until 2012, Knicks' fans just have to be patient and be satisfied with a very competitive and exciting team. Just not a champion.