Carmelo Anthony's current season with the New York Knicks is coming to a close due to some nagging injuries.

It is not all bad though, as his time away could be an opportunity for the younger players to get the limelight.

Anthony last appeared on court during his 30-minute appearance at the All-Star game. It will effectively be his last appearance and doubles as his send-off for the season.

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ESPN's Marc Stein first reported on Anthony's send-off. He stated that the superstar forward's nagging knee injury forced him off the floor and right under the knife much sooner than expected.

As a result, the Knicks have already ruled him out for the rest of the season.

The procedure will be carried out by Team Orthopedist Dr. Answorth Allen, and includes a left knee patella tendon debridement and repair, said the team in an official statement.

With an abysmal record of 10-43, the Knicks are looking towards the future. Their focus should be on securing a high enough draft pick, while also developing their younger layers.

One player that could be of interest for the team to focus on is Cleanthony Early, a second steal for the Knicks.

There have been high hopes for Early. In his sophomore year at Wichita State, he averaged 16.4 points on 48.4 percent shooting. In addition, he had 5.9 rebounds in 27.4 minutes per game.

Knicks President Phil Jackson said that his decision to get Early was based on the desire to get matured players who can readily step into the line-up and play. At 6'8 and 220 pounds, Early has matured physically.

However, his size and stature have not been enough to net him a permanent position in head coach Derek Fisher's rotation.

Early isn't the only egg in the basket though. The Knick also have 22-year old point guard Shane Larkin, 23-year old guard Langston Galloway, and 24-year old forwards Travis Wear and Quincy Acy.

Moving forward, the Knicks will have the time to develop their players and hopefully improve their team for the future.

Tagscarmelo anthony, Younger players, Cleanthony Early