Melo: My only motive is winning

At 31 years of age, New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony is very much aware that his prime years in the NBA are nearing their conclusion. And while one could argue the Knicks would be wise to prolong their rebuild, Anthony realizes that wasting his best years isn't the most ideal option.

"I think that's the main question," Anthony told ESPN's Ian Begley. "How can we take advantage of this window? How can we take advantage of this situation that we have in front of us?"

While optimists may view the Knicks' 15-win improvement from a year ago as a bright spot in an otherwise tumultuous season, Anthony believes New York should have a "playoff-or-bust" mentality, particularly given his early career success.

"For me, I kind of see it differently," he said. "Yes, we've made progress. We still haven't made progress enough to get to the postseason, to get to the playoffs. For my first 10 years in this league I played in the postseason, I played playoff basketball. So to not experience that over the past three seasons it makes you question a lot. It makes you think a lot. ... My only thing, my only motive, is to win."

Despite the persistent rumors and the bevy of losses, Melo has remained loyal to his hometown throughout his Knicks tenure, stating Friday that he doesn't see himself leaving the Big Apple anytime soon.

"As of right now, I'll be here," he said. "No conversation has taken place as far as me leaving or me wanting to leave. I think everybody knows how I feel about being here with this organization in New York, playing for the Knicks. I think nobody should question that."