Echoing Abbey, I just want to say that as a Knicks fan, I see Carmelo going to the Nets (or anybody else, really) as a blessing in disguise for the Knicks and I'm completely opposed to giving up assets to get Carmelo at this point.
There's no questioning that Anthony is a superior player to Wilson Chandler, and that he could slide in and provide the Knicks with an upgrade over Chandler, but I just don't believe that he presents enough of an upgrade over Chandler to justify the cost. They are, in a lot of ways, players that bring a lot of similarities to the table. Anthony is a better rebounder than Chandler and a better passer, but Chandler is a much better defender, and this season has been a much better shooter.
Comparing their numbers this season:
Per Game Points, Field Goals Attempted, Rebounds, Assists and Blocks
Chandler: 17.7, 14.1, 6.3, 1.7, 1.4
Anthony: 23.8, 19.0, 8.2, 3.1, 0.6
PER, TS%, EFG%, Winshares
Chandler: 17.6, .579%, .549%, 3.6
Anthony: 20.6, .527%, .452%, 2.5
Edit: I should also mention that Carmelo is shooting just 25% from three this year, compared to Chandler's 37%. In the D'Antoni's system, the significance of that can't be understated.
Now, keeping in mind that Chandler is 3 years younger and 19 million dollars cheaper, it's really hard for me to understand the argument in favor of Carmelo at this point. Sure, he's a great scorer, but he in no way addresses any of the Knicks' weaknesses and depending on how they acquire him he either A) uses up a ton of cap space, or B) costs Chandler, Gallo, Fields a first round pick, and an expiring deal or two.
I would much, much rather the Knicks use that money to address other needs and build on what they have in place. Adding a piece like Tyson Chandler or Kendrick Perkins would fill a void, as would making an offer to Marc Gasol and hoping the Grizzlies can't match. And with that core in place, they'd be a very attractive destination for Deron Williams or Chris Paul in 2012.