"Man, who cares if we don't got LeBron or Wade. You got me, Amare Stoudemire. I mean, we lost David Lee and all, but hey, we won't be any worse, right?"

The Knicks are now hoping to luck out and get Carmelo Anthony next offseason and maybe Chris Paul.

"Everybody is saying we need somebody else to contend, but man...nobody can stop me! I'm a monster." Stoudamire said.

What Stoudemire needs to realize is that he's a carbon copy of David Lee.

No defense, solid rebounder, and can score the ball.

"No man, without Steve Nash giving me bad passes, I'll be able to get better shot attempts, and I'll be more of a monster!" Stoudemire replied when asked about this.

"You know, if we don't win the championship this year, then I guess maybe we'll try and pick up another free agent next year. Maybe Yao Ming, y'know."

The fact is, the Knicks can't just keep dumping players and hoping they will luck out in free agency.

Sorry, Knicks fans, but you'll be irrelevant until you learn to draft, rather than giving max contracts to players like Amare Stoudemire.

Oh wait, you're getting Carmelo Anthony, right? Just like you got LeBron.

Good luck, Knicks.

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They would encompass a new three in the league following the Celtics and Heat prior to them. I know many are scratching their heads at my belief that the Carmelo, Paul and Stoudemire team could win. If I had to put money on the line, let's be serious, I'm taking the Heat. That still doesn't mean a team can't beat another when they actually play.

Here I will present ten reasons at different strengths which could allow a Carmelo led squad to get the better of a Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James team. This is all assuming that Carmelo Anthony ends up with the Knicks alongside Amar'e Stoudemire and Chris Paul.

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        The new roster has already brought many questions about the projected starting lineup and how the rotation will pan out. Looking down the roster, there are more then ten players who are worthy of heavy minutes, giving head coach Mike Dantoni lots of options for the first time in his tenure as the New York Knick's coach. 

     Versatile players such as forward Anthony Randolph and Danillo Gallinari give New York the versatility to mix and match with many different lineups.

   With this in mind, I would like to present to you the eight different lineups head coach Mike Dantoni will be able to put onto the court this upcoming season. 

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Many experts see this team in the playoffs for the first time since 2004, but what else is in store for this upcoming season?

Young Anthony Randolph at just 21 years of age looks ready to breakout, while point guard Raymond Felton is ready to prove he can run a team with an uptempo style.

Incoming superstar Amar'e Stoudemire gives the Knicks their first dominant offensive big man since Patrick Ewing in the late 1990's.

Here are six bold predictions that could certainly happen for the New York Knicks' in their upcoming season. 

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This article is ranking the Top 10 power forwards. As well as ones to watch out for next season and an honorable mention, because some of the rankings were to close.

Ones to Watch for Next Season

Andray Blatche, Washington Wizards

Blatche is a terrific athlete, especially for a player that plays the power forward position. Blatche is an explosive player that has great hands and does have the ability to knock down shots.

He plays and runs the floor like a guard in a forward's body, which sometimes can be his down fall. He is a player that would rather play on the perimeter and not use his size down low. 

Blatche possesses freak athleticism, blocks a lot of shots, grabs rebounds, and can elevate over defenders on the offensive side.

His weaknesses are that his offensive game is still very raw for a forward. Since he'd rather play on the perimeter than in the post, that means that he still needs to improve his post game. Additionally, Blatche is on and off, meaning that one night he can score 25 points, making it look easy, but then another night, he could look very raw, and score four points.

Jeff Green, Oklahoma City Thunder

Jeff Green is an all-around player and can play multiple positions on both sides of the ball. He is a great player at attacking the boards on the defensive and offensive side.

Green has the ability to create off the wing for himself and others, he has the ability to hit a 10-15 foot jump shot, and he is able to score with his back to the basket.

He just needs to work on his three point consistency.

LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers

This list just has so many players who are very close when it came to ranking them. I just had to mention Aldridge, because he eventually will be a top five or seven power forward.

Aldridge has the length of a center and has the quickness to play the small forward position.

He is very athletic and has a body that is not afraid to knocked around in the paint on both sides of the ball.

Moreover, he has a good shooting touch from both mid-range and the free throw line.

Aldridge's weaknesses are that he is not as dominating as McMillan would like him to be, as well as the fact that he is not always the biggest factor when it comes to grabbing rebounds and blocking shots.

Derrick Favors, New Jersey Nets (Rookie)

Favors is a bit of a wildcard because he is still very raw and still very young.

Favors does possess eye-popping athleticism. He is very quick, has great coordination, and is active on both sides of the ball, whether blocking shots on the defensive side or being active on the offensive boards.

He runs the floor very well like a guard and has a terrific wingspan.

But Favors does need to add some bulk to his frame, develop his overall offensive game, add some poor post moves to his repertoire, and add a consistent jump shot.

Honorable Mention

Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks

Everyone knows that Smith is a great player, but just not in my top 10 yet! And I know he is not a "One to Watch for Next Season" player because he has already established himself as a good power forward. But I needed to give him some credit.

Smith is an elite athlete; no one can even argue that. He is by far one of the league's top shot blockers. Even at his size, weight/frame, and position. He can out-run the smaller guards.

He is an elite defender, and is a solid offensive player who does have a decent repertoire. But his offensive game still might be his weak part and the part he needs to develop the most.

Just Missed the Cut

Luis Scola, Al Jefferson, Carl Landry

The Top 10

No. 10: David West, New Orleans Hornets

West is a do-it-all type player who can power opponents in the low post with his large frame, long arms, and great footwork around the rim.

But, West is also a great passer and shooter for a big man, and he uses that to his advantage when defenders choose to back off of him. He will then knock down the 12-15 foot jump shot.

Once the defenders realize he can shoot, West will blow by defenders, as you see in this picture, for the easy two. 

West is a good defensive player and uses his body to out-power defenders, and uses his long arms to block shots.

His downfall is he can be injury prone, and he is not the most athletic player in the league, which leads to West making stupid fouls at times.

No. 9: Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies

Randolph revitalized his career coming over to the Grizzlies. He always had the talent, but with his attitude on the Jail Blazers, it just did not work out. Then both the Clippers and Knicks never worked out as well, though he did put up All-Star numbers.

He then came over to the Grizz, flourished in his first season in Memphis, and even made it to the All-Star game.

Randolph is one of the top scoring and rebounding power forwards in the NBA. He has a huge frame, and possesses long arms and soft hands around the basket. You may not think he is a finesse player around the basket do to his size, but when he gets good position down low, it is almost certain to be a basket.  

With that being said, Randolph still does use his big frame to body his way through defenders for easy baskets or rebounds.

He does have a good short-game jumper, as well as a decent mid-range jumper. If you were to leave him open, he can knock down the shot.

As many do know, Randolph is not the best defensive player out there. He does not have the greatest lateral quickness, so he does get beat off the dribble.

No. 8: Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics

In my opinion, Garnett is one of the greatest power forwards to ever play the game. But with his career starting to come towards an end, he sadly is not able to do the things he once was.

However this is with no disrespect to Garnett, who is one of my favorite players to watch because of how intense he is when it comes to playing. 

He is an all-around great player. Garnett is one of the NBA's best rebounders, as well as defenders, making ten All-Defensive teams, and even as winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2008.

Garnett, even at his increasing age, has great quickness and length to allow him to guard smaller defenders.

His few downfalls are that he is not as selfish as you may want a player his caliber to be. As well, his shooting range and consistency has decreased with his age.

No. 7: Carlos Boozer, Chicago Bulls

Boozer will look to make be the difference maker that the Bulls desperately need; that second option that can minimize the stress that Rose deals with every game.

Booz is an elite rebounder and low post scorer. He is very explosive in the low block, and has good enough foot work to finesse his way around defenders. But he also possesses that physical build to plow defenders over as well.

He has great hands around the rim, and he is improving his overall jump shot, but with Korver on the perimeter, the Bulls just need Boozer to score around the rim and grab rebounds.

Boozer's downfalls are he has been injury prone throughout his career, as well as that he is not a great defender and he's a player who does not block many shots.

No. 6: David Lee, Golden State Warriors

Lee is one of the most  hard-nosed workers in the NBA. He is always hustling and always risking his body for the better of the team. He will do whatever it takes to win.

He is Mr. Double-Double, as he has averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds for a few seasons now.

Lee is a fierce and nasty rebounder who is not afraid to bang elbows or get dirty when going for the boards.

He is a good athlete for a white guy, and has a big and powerful frame which he uses to his advantage on the offensive side, especially with his soft hands that he uses to score with ease around the basket.

Lee is a great passer for a big man, he runs the floor very well, and is always out in front.

Though Lee does work hard on the defensive side, he is not the best defender. He gets posted up very easily when playing bigger and quicker players. Also, he is not an intimidating shot-blocker.

No. 5: Chris Bosh, Miami Heat

Bosh is going into the Heat as the third wheel type player. It will be very interesting to see how he takes to that role.

Bosh is a long, athletic, and skilled player, who can take you to the hole, step back, and hit the foul line extended jump shot.

He does have a great drive for the game, and always seems to have a chip on his shoulder, regardless of the situation.

Bosh is a very tenacious defender, and rarely loses the ball when coming down with a rebound. 

Additionally, Bosh works extremely hard on both ends of the floor and is always looking to make his presence felt.

His weaknesses are his ability to guard and play against bigger players, due to the lack of meat on his body.

Bosh is a wildcard, and it all depends on how he produces in Miami, because we know he will not get the stats he did while playing in Toronto.

No. 4: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs 

Though Duncan is aging, and is not the player he once was, he is still a top power forward in this game, who will always find a way to get the job done.

Duncan is a proven winner and will carry that with him for the rest of his career, and even his life.

He is a great scorer, though it may not be pretty with his backboard bank shots, although they do, indeed, go in. If Duncan gets great post position under the basket, you're dead in the water. He will burn by you or hit you with the baby sky hook.

Duncan has always had a consistent 15-17 foot jump shot, and he uses that ability to catch defenders off guard if they back up off of him. He has one of the highest basketball IQ's, and you rarely ever see Duncan make a stupid mistake.

Duncan is a clutch player and a classy team leader. If you were to pick out any of Duncan's weaknesses, it would have to be his free-throw shooting or fatigue, from playing so many minutes over his long career.

People may think this is too high for Duncan, but you have to realize what he is still doing, even at this stage in his career. He just came off a 18 and 10 season, in only 31 minutes. Compare that to a player like Gasol averaging 18 and 11 in 37 minutes. 

No. 3: Pau Gasol, Los Angeles 

Pau Gasol has filled the role of the missing puzzle piece for Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, since the days of the Kobe and Shaq era ended.

He has been a great player who has helped the Lakers to two rings in his two and half seasons as a Laker. 

Gasol brings great height, mixed with athleticism. He passes very well from the post for a big man and plays a finesse game, but he does rebound with toughness and block a lot of shots. 

Pau has a great array of offensive moves, as he can back his defender down to the basket, he can knock down the jump hook, and he can step back and hit the 12 footer.

And he has been a clutch leader over his career.

Gasol does struggle in the turnover department, and additionally, he is a player who you can leave open beyond 12-15 feet.

No. 2: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks

Dirk is a prolific shooter who knocks down big shot after big shot. He can shoot the three, the mid-range jumper, as well being able to knock down his patented move, the turn around fade-away jumper.

Dirk is a very talented player, as one of the few 7'0" footers who can shoot the three and knock down shots on a regular basis, with Andrea Bargnani and  Mehmet Okur being the other two.

He is a natural elite scorer, but is mainly known as the shooting type. He does not have the great post game that someone his height should, and although he does get a good amount of rebounds, he is not always the toughest on the boards.

Dirk's weaknesses are that he is not a great athlete, and is not the quickest player in the NBA. He is an average defender and relies heavily on his height, rather than good defense, to force up bad shots.

Furthermore, he does force up shots when he does not need to, and although he has hit some big shots in his career, he is not known as a clutch player, like the Kobes in the league.

No. 1: Amar'e Stoudemire, New York Knicks

This may come by a surprise to many for two reasons. First, he is a center—no, he played center for the Suns these past few seasons because the Suns had no other option at the center position. His first five or so seasons he was the team's starting power forward.

The second reason is many think that Gasol should be No. 1. Well if I had to choose between the two, Amar'e is my clear cut favorite. Sure, Gasol has to two rings. But you're going to tell me that if Amar'e was on the Lakers they would have not done the same thing? Maybe they would have even have beaten the Celtics in '08.

Anyways, Stoudemire is a top tier scoring big man. He is extremely athletic for his size. If you do not believe me, watch what he did in his Slam Dunk appearance in 2003.

Amar'e has one of the best first steps for a big man. When Amar'e is able to get one dribble off and put his shoulders to the ground, there is no stopping him.

He is very explosive and is extremely quick, especially in the pick-and-roll offense, as we have seen him do many times with Nash up in Phoenix.

Amar'e is a good rebounder, though his stats can be a bit deceiving. He does not get the high rebounds like the players such as Gasol and Duncan, but he does have the ability to grab big rebounds. And he is an underrated defender, although it is not the strongest part of his game.

His shot has steadily improved over the years, and he can knock down 10-15 footers, but his shot is still not a guarantee. He is a player you can take a risk and dare him to shoot the shot.

Overall, Amar'e is the power forward, who I would rather have on my team than Gasol. Gasol does have the rings over Amar'e, but like I said, you put Amar'e on the Lakers and they would have the same amount.

Again, this is my list, and I would love to hear yours!

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LeBron James found his in Miami, Amar'e Stoudemire found his in New York, and Carmelo Anthony is caught up in the matchmaking trying to find his.

For whatever reason, it has become a trend for high-caliber players to leave their legacy behind and join new teams.

Anthony still has time left under his current contract, and he has to decide whether to accept an extension, or face a release or trading scenario.

'Melo Over The Years

Anthony has been one of the most consistent players over the past seven years. Never failing to average under 20 points per game, Anthony has also amassed a career shooting average of .459 percent and a rebounding average of 6.2 for his career.

Besides his rookie season, the Nuggets have finished either first or second in the division standings, though they have never appeared in the NBA Finals.

Power Shift From West To East

If Anthony is traded to the East, the overall power shift of the NBA could turn 180 degrees from the West to the East,

In the final standings from last season, four teams in the East had a winning percentage of .610 or above.

In the West, the eighth seed in the playoffs had a .610 record. Overall, the West teams had a much better record than those in the East.

Player shifts like Amar'e Stoudemire from the Phoenix Suns to the New York Knicks are an example of this power shift. A good team lost a crucial piece to their system, while a struggling team from the East got a great player.

Even with the Heat getting James and Chris Bosh, and the Bulls getting Carlos Boozer, the East has a great set of teams at the top with Boston, Orlando, Miami, Chicago and Atlanta.

Carmelo Anthony would make a great addition in the east to teams like the Bulls, Nets, Knicks, Cavaliers and Magic.

An addition of Anthony to the Knicks, Nets or Cavaliers would make a case for another high caliber team in the East.

After Phoenix has taken a hit in losing Stoudemire, if the Nuggets lost Carmelo to a team in the East, it would be hard for the West to keep its consistency in playoff teams' records.

Final Thoughts

If Carmelo feels this way about the Denver Nuggets, it would be best for them to trade him now and receive compensation, rather than let him walk.

There are more suitors in the Eastern Conference that could be landing spots for Anthony.

If he does end up in the Eastern Conference, there could be a noticeable change in the overall record of each conference.

In the first decade of the 2000's, seven out of the 10 champions were from the West. Carmelo Anthony's departure from the West could make it a consistent battle between the two sides come time for the Finals.

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The 24 year old is in the final year of a deal set to pay him $6.03 million this year. With his immense skills set and talent level, he’ll have more than a few teams willing to take a gamble on him. And he’ll have an equal grouping that will pass on him because of his attitude issues.

In regards to the talents and skills of J.R. Smith, he’s easily a top ten shooting guard if the game was solely based on ability. You can literally count on both hands the number of players who can do the things he can with a basketball. Heck, there are players considered better than him that doesn’t have the talents and skills of Smith.

Yet his problems lie with his attitude and maturity issues. And though they aren’t as bad as they were two years ago, they still tend to rear their ugly head ever once and a while…especially when Smith isn’t happy with his playing time.

Smith was a starter early in his career and hasn’t been shy in making it known that he wants to return to such a role.

With that said. Here are the top five teams he has a chance at becoming a starter for.

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