Carmelo Anthony is strongly leaning toward waiving his no-trade clause, sources close to the situation tell Ian Begley of ESPN.com.
While Begley cautions that no decision has made, he adds that some within the organization believe the only way Anthony returns is if owner James Dolan fires Phil Jackson. It was reported today that the Knicks and Jackson “quietly” picked up their respective sides of the mutual option to have him return for the next two years. The Zen Master will sit down with the small forward during their end-0f-season meeting on Thursday. Anthony has previously said that he’s looking forward to it.
Barring a last-minute reconciliation between Jackson and Anthony, the Knicks are committed to moving the 32-year-old this summer, Begley adds.
Some rival executives believe that Anthony’s trade value would be higher if Jackson hadn’t endorsed the Bleacher Report column that was critical of the 32-year-old. “That one was surprising,” Begley was told by an executive of a team who spoke to the Knicks about an Anthony trade. “I think [Jackson] really hurt himself there.”
Anthony no-trade clause, as well as his trade kicker, also hurts the star’s value on the market, as I detailed in his Trade Candidate piece.
Jackson isn’t the only one who Anthony had issues with this season. He and coach Jeff Hornacek got into a verbal altercation during halftime of a mid-March game against the Nets. Hornacek was criticizing the Knicks for how they played the first half and Anthony responded with a rant that questioned the direction of the entire franchise. Begley notes that assistant coach Kurt Rambis fired back by pointing out Anthony’s lackluster defense, which prompted Anthony to respond again. The altercation ended when one of New York’s players lobbied for the team to go back to the court and begin warming up.
The concern over defense didn’t appear out of thin air. Begley relays that some within the organization felt that Anthony’s and Derrick Rose‘s defensive habits were a negative influence on the team’s younger players.
Anthony recently said that he would remain committed to the Knicks if the team was committed to winning. He’ll have the final say on whether he’s on the team next season, but it appears if Jackson has his way, the Knicks will try to win without him.
Carmelo is gonna do what’s best for Carmelo’s brand, which is the penultimate example of selfishness and ego. Enough already! It’s not going to work. Be wants other teammates to step up, which usually happens when he’s out, and when he returns, that’s all over.
Look at the entire body of NBA work and judge him. If he retired now, why would he be a hall of fame player? Because Syracuse won? Basketball is a team game. Great 3rd, solid gold 4th option on a contending super team, and that’s it. He’s a bird! His whole tenure as a Knick is a waste of time. What are the highlights of that time in New York? 1. Linsanity 2. When he beat Bernard King’s scoring record 3. Garnett talking about his wife. What else, we beat the Celtics in the playoffs and then lost to the Pacers? Name it. What’s missing from his resume as a Knick? The night he ‘came home’? I’ll cheer loudest for him the day he waives his no trade clause and gets gone. Represent New York? Give me a break. Didn’t have surgery so he could play in the all star game in New York “for the fans”. What a fool. People paying a lot of money for those season subscriptions up front, dude. This is New York. He was born here, and left. If I was born in Siberia and then moved to New York at 3 years old, wouldn’t you think I’d look like a fool for saying I was from Siberia? It’s a joke. He’s spent more time on the road traveling then he has in New York, over his entire life. So sick of him…, obviously. Hahahahahaha.
Ur just another Melo hater who doesn’t have any idea what Basketball is all about.Its a team game not Lebron,Kobe,Shaq can win by themselves,zen master PJ put this team together.without melo the Knicks will b lucky to win 5 games next yr.So wake the fu.. up n go back to Siberia Idiot take PJ with u
You’re right. The Knicks would be lucky to win 5 games because they’d get a top pick to build around
Love all these Knicks fans bashing the best player they’ve had in 20 years and the only current all star that has any interest in playing for the Knicks.
Dunno why they think giving away their best player will magically make them title contenders. Front office is a joke.
Tell them Bob,These idiots of an Organization have no idea what team ball is.Pj won cus he had at least 2 to 3 superstars on every team he coached n won.it wasn’t the triangle.A President who put this team together then blames his most Productive player is a real idiot.when PJ was in pre k he spent all yr trying to put a triangle block into a round hole.71 yrs later he’s still trying.Kurt Rambis is another idiot who can’t coach.Time to boycott all Knicks game till Dolan fires Pj n entire staff n hire a real Gm,Coach n President Mark Jackson
Melo is gone
We love you too, Bob.
Sike.
No one loves you, Bob.
Nice gotta love throwing about personal insults when you can’t back your thoughts up using logic!
I don’t understand Knicks fans. I am a die hard fan and have been for 30 years. Carmelo Anthony is one of the most elite scorers I’ve ever seen play this game, period. Is he at the pinnacle of his career at 32? No. But is a useless player who only cares about his brand and himself? No. If you watched him on Team USA, he thrived, he passed the ball, and played great team basketball. That’s with other great players around him. His problems start from the top down. Phil Jackson is an incompetent GM and the triangle only works with 2 of the best teams of all time. The Knicks should trade him and rebuild, but not because he is not a great player, but because he deserves at least the chance to win, and the Knicks should tank and follow in the footsteps of Minnesota. But instead of bashing Carmelo, we should praise the great basketball he played for 7 years in New York.
At this stage in his career and the Knicks current situation, it’s best if they deal him for a draft pick that can help the rebuild. A lottery pick would be nice if they can find a buyer. Wishful thinking, but Melo and next year’s number one unprotected to Boston for the Nets pick and a bad contact would be a nice start. Boston would have some trade leverage if needed. Knicks could fill both backcourt spots in the draft with a deal like that, and fill a roster spot with a max contract at SF.
Not enough logic for you in my initial post, bro? Ok, here you go. He’s the only all star that has any interest in playing for the Knicks, huh? Why? Why don’t we ask the players who have actually played on the Knicks with Carmelo. Better yet, how about only the players and coaches who have been removed from playing with him for a few years. Sure, Stoudemire will back track, but he said his peace. Dantoni–how was James Harden’s year under him, and what did Dantoni say about Melo. Jeremy Lin? Now, they’re not going to trash the guy, but what have they said respectfully; positive things? Did they say he was a team player?
Getting rid of Carmelo helps change the culture, friends. The culture is the root of the problem. The bad contracts, the revolving door for players past their prime, the gestapo edicts of management, the treatment of Charles Oakley, etc. if you’re following, haven’t you noticed a difference in play when Carmelo is out?! Do they win, not always; they do fight and play harder? I notice them doing so.
It’s hard to hustle up and down the court when you know what’s going to happen. Why try so hard? What do you do as a 2nd or 3rd stringer, get shipped off the team for speaking your peace. Jennings is no saint, but he spoke up here and there… playoff bound!
Will the Rockets win the championship? Not likely. Defense wins, I feel. However, are Rockets fans having a great season and enjoying themselves? Let’s swap Melo and Harden–same result? Not even close. Who’s on that Rockets squad? Who did they surround Harden with?! Is Harden the best player in the league?! Noah and Rose weren’t on the team last year; they obviously didn’t work, but don’t blame them for last year. Or the year before that, and that, and that.
I just want to watch competitive TEAM basketball. Who do you surround Carmelo with, someone who gets him the ball in the right spots? He stops the ball when he touches it, so an elite point guard won’t matter. A dominant center…, to get rebounds to pass to him? A shooting guard, to hang on the arc for 2nd attempt 3 pointers off Carmelo’s misses? It’s not all Melo’s fault, but what do you want, the other players to play above their own limitations to compensate for Carmelo’s shortcomings and selfish decisions? And that’s realistic? Tell me; you build a team around him that will compete: all all stars? That’s living in a dream world. how many rebuilds are teams going to go through before the Knicks can compete again? We got some nice young players who will end up wasted. Salaries restrict this, but swap Melo for ANY other starting small forward in the league, and we win more games this past season.
We lost that game to Philly on Mcconnell’s last second shot, and Melo went off on teammates in the locker room–he hot that over YOU, dude! Put your hands up. Wouldn’t you be sick over that? Coaches getting on him about defense, and he’s talking back, questioning the direction of the franchise?! I’d love to know what he would say if asked what he was missing out there, teammate wise. Coach wise. It hasn’t worked, won’t work. Each game feels like I’m watching the same crappy sitcom episode, 82 times a year. At least the MSG broadcast team is being honest this season. Melo calling for iso, calling for a pick, upset when he doesn’t get it, Hornacek in the background walking away. im no fan of George Karl, but at least he has the guts to speak his mind.
Once we had the money to spend, Amare signed up. Don’t judge him now, judge him then; giving all he had, and dominating. Since then, Melo is here, and heads don’t want to play with him. He could have waited until the offseason, but instead we gutted the team. Gallo, Chandler, Mosgov. They were all playing great together. Injuries, yeah I know, but if you ask me, Denver won that trade.
Well I guess you had to get that off your chest
Right on, straight logic and facts brother. All ignored. Give me a nobody fighting to be an all star (Thomas on Boston), than a selfish 8 or 9 time all star who hasn’t done a thing for anyone but the cash register and himself. Who’s Boston got? What do they have that we’re missing? This dude wants logic?! Carmelo wants a “Committment to win” from management? I want a Committment from him to play defense and pass the ball. He’s playing with people’s time and money.
Melo is a scorer, but that is all he is. He is not a leader, can’t or won’t play defense. Is a black hole from which a pass is rarely made and a cancer in the locker room when his star is threatened. He arguably is not in the top 20 players. Lastly he is egotistical and show cases himself to the detriment of the team.
Knicks fans should be thinking about the future at this point. You have a bad roster, and there are no free agents coming to help. You missed the playoffs, which is hard to do considering a .500 record gets you in in the weak Eastern conference. The smart move is to trade Melo while he still has a little value and commit to a rebuild. Keeping Melo should not be an option unless you’re happy with recent results.
Yeah, what I said: team game. You think Carmelo is on the level of Kobe and Shaq and Lebron?! What would ever give you the inspiration to put him in that category? Me wake up? You’re living in a dream world.
What was Carmelo missing when they made the Western Conference Finals, champ? What was the missing piece there, the coach? Camby pulling down 20 rebounds in a game on occasion? KMart, JR, Billups? They weren’t good enough?
Is this your brain I see sitting on top of this iceberg over here in Siberia, Severiano?