Carmelo Anthony Rumors | Hoops Rumors

New York Notes: Nets, Dinwiddie, Knicks, Carmelo

March 21st, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

As we noted on Monday, CSKA Moscow guard Milos Teodosic is mulling a move to the NBA this summer, and will be seeking a team that can give him playing time, a competitive contract, and – most importantly – a chance to contend. Brooklyn has been linked to Teodosic, but as Brian Lewis of The New York Post observes, the lottery-bound Nets can probably only offer two of the three things on the Euroleague star’s wish list.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:

With Jeremy Lin sidelined again, unheralded young guard Spencer Dinwiddie will take over as the Nets‘ starting point guard down the stretch. As Ryan Lazo of The New York Post writes, Dinwiddie only has a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18, but hopes to prove in the coming weeks that he belongs on the roster for the long term.
The Knicks are on track to miss out on a playoff spot for the fourth straight season, and Carmelo Anthony admits that he has been forced to consider his future with the franchise and whether he can win in New York, writes Jovan Buha of ESPN.com. “I try to put everything into perspective,” Anthony said. “I think about it all. I think about here. I think about the postseason. I think about my teammates. I just think about everything. It’s not just one specific thing that I think about. I think about it a lot.” Anthony, of course, has a no-trade clause that he could waive if the Knicks were to approach him with a trade scenario he liked.
Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek noted on Monday that his team often doesn’t make the extra pass necessary to get a higher-percentage shot, prompting Marc Berman of The New York Post to wonder if the comment was a dig at any specific Knicks players.

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Thomas, Poeltl

March 20th, 2017 at 5:09pm CST by Austin Kent

Second-year big man Kristaps Porzingis knew early on that the Knicks weren’t going to be a competitive team this season, citing a lack of chemistry and teamwork. Marc Berman of the New York Post wrote about the sophomore’s troubling realization as the franchise finds itself staring at a 27-42 record.

“I think it was pretty easy to tell from the inside that we’re not that good of a team,” Porzingis said of the Knicks. “We can win games based on our talent, but it’s not going to last long. [We needed] more work, attention to details, to keep growing as a team. A good team needs time to play together.”

The forward, whose averaged 18.0 points per game across 58 contests so far this season, acknowledged that the transition process can be difficult and that the Knicks did add several fresh faces like starting point guard Derrick Rose, but it was a disappointing year nonetheless.

“Of course, we all expected big things out of this year, but from the beginning it didn’t feel like — I felt we’d make big runs, but we weren’t there at that level where we wanted to be,” Porzingis said. “We can see now we’re not where we want it to be.”

After a two-game hiatus, guard Isaiah Thomas is back in action for the Celtics, Chris Forsberg of ESPN tweets. The All-Star had been nursing a knee bruise. The 29.2 point-per-game scorer returns as the C’s sit 2.5 games back of the Cavaliers for the top seed in the East.
Though sparsely used for the majority of his rookie campaign, first-year big man Jakob Poeltl is earning the trust of Raptors head coach Dwane Casey, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. “Every time you put him in, he does something positive,” Casey said. “There’s that trust, not only with myself but with his teammates. He’s doing positive things, he plays with physicality.” Poeltl has averaged 16.8 minutes per game in his last five contests.
Pressed to talk about the city of Los Angeles, Carmelo Anthony told the New York Post’s Marc Berman that he thinks L.A. is a relaxing place and that his family feels comfortable there. He also said, “Nah, don’t start, I haven’t thought about it,” though, so take it for what it’s worth. “I try not to think about it,” Anthony told the reporter. “Especially now when I’m still playing with the New York Knicks.“

Carmelo Anthony Stages Triangle ‘Protest’

March 12th, 2017 at 9:04am CST by Arthur Hill

Carmelo Anthony still has at least 16 games left as a Knick, but there are more signs that it will continue to be a rocky relationship.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes that Anthony seemed to be staging a “protest” Saturday night as he took just nine shots in a 20-point loss at Detroit. He rarely dribbled or tried to create shots and passed the ball quickly unless he was wide open. It’s only the third time in his career that he has played more than 35 minutes and takenfewer than 10 shots.

“We were just playing within the offense and just taking what they were giving me,” Anthony said with a smile after the game. “Just play the right way in this system.”

The system is Phil Jackson’s controversial triangle offense, which Anthony refuses to mention by name. He and Jackson clashed earlier in the season when the team president alleged that Anthony was holding the ball too long to make the offense work.

“It’s just hard for me to be talking about that in March, in the middle of March, to still be talking about our system and what we’re running instead of just playing basketball,” Anthony said Saturday.

It’s the latest sign that Anthony and the Knicks could be headed for a breakup this summer after another disappointing season. At 26-40 and six and a half games out of the eighth spot, they are almost certain of missing the playoffs for a fourth straight year.

Jackson contacted the Clippers, Celtics and Cavaliers to attempt to work out a deal for Anthony before the deadline, and the consensus is that he will try again this offseason. Anthony will make $26,243,760 next season, then has a $27,928,140 early termination option for 2018/19. There’s also the matter of his no-trade clause, but Anthony might be more likely than ever to approve a deal to join a winning organization and escape the triangle.

Carmelo Anthony Hopes To Play 20 Seasons

March 8th, 2017 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Carmelo Anthony is currently in the midst of his 14th NBA season, and he thinks he still has several more years left in him. As Marc Berman of The New York Post writes, Anthony has set a goal of playing 20 total seasons in the NBA, which would mean another six more years starting in 2017/18.

“I would love to get 20 in, I could do 20,” Anthony said on Wednesday. “I could do 20. I’ve done a great job taking care of my body. I’ll continue doing that. No severe injuries. I can see myself going for 20.”

The 2022/23 season would be Anthony’s 20th, so he still has quite a ways to go. Major injury problems or a significant drop-off in his production in the coming years could force the veteran forward to eventually reevaluate that goal. However, more and more NBA stars are approaching that two-decade mark as of late.

Dirk Nowitzki, who surpassed the 30,000-point mark on Tuesday night, has said he plans to return for 2017/18, which will be his 20th season. Vince Carter has also expressed a desire to put off retirement for at least one more year and get to his 20th season. Even Jason Terry, who will have to play two more seasons to get to No. 20, said last month that he hopes he can pull it off.

While Anthony is no longer the superstar scorer he was four seasons ago, when he led the NBA with 28.7 PPG, his numbers haven’t fallen off substantially. The longtime Knick, who earned his eighth consecutive All-Star nod this season, is averaging 23.2 PPG through 62 games.

Anthony has never averaged below 20.8 PPG in a season since entering the NBA, and while that won’t continue forever, he has a chance to reach some milestones of his own in the next few years if he can stay healthy, either in New York or with another team. Earlier this season, he passed Charles Barkley to become the league’s 30th-leading scorer of all time.

Knicks Notes: Jennings, Griffin, Hornacek, Porzingis

March 5th, 2017 at 10:26am CST by Arthur Hill

Brandon Jennings is still taking shots at the Knicks, even though he’s now in a Wizards uniform, relays Keely Diven of CSNMidAtlantic. After his first game for Washington on Friday, Jennings told reporters the change has been beneficial. “I’m in the same position I was in New York,” he said, “but just in a better system for me personally and with a team that actually plays together.” Jennings was never shy about criticizing the Knicks while he played there, perhaps surprised to see the inner turmoil in the organization after signing a one-year deal worth more than $4.8MM last summer. Jennings agreed to a buyout with New York and signed with the Wizards on Wednesday. He will be an unrestricted free agent again in July.

There’s more out of New York:

Cavaliers GM David Griffin said the team agreed to take J.R. Smith from the Knicks in a 2015 trade involving Iman Shumpert so it wouldn’t have to surrender a first-round pick, tweets Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. Griffin recounted the deal Saturday at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. Smith and Shumpert both became contributors during the Cavs’ two trips to the NBA Finals, while the Knicks received Lance Thomas, Lou Amundson, Alex Kirk and a 2019 second-rounder.
Coach Jeff Hornacek says defensive lapses, not the triangle offense, are behind the Knicks’ difficulties in closing out games, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Several players have been pointing fingers at the triangle, with Carmelo Anthony saying after Friday’s loss to the Sixers that other teams adjust during the games, but the Knicks don’t. “When we get down, especially in fourth quarters, we want to run something that’s part of a system,” Hornacek said. “The triangle aspects is one of the systems that you can run that hopefully they can’t double, hopefully they can’t switch. It at least gets you organized in a set.”
Phil Jackson’s attempts to trade Anthony and Derrick Rose before the deadline are evidence that the Knicks will eventually revolve around Kristaps Porzingis, Iannazzone writes in a separate story. He suggests that Porzingis should be made the focus of the offense now, even if it means fewer touches for Anthony.

Carmelo Anthony: Tanking A “Terrible Way To Think”

March 3rd, 2017 at 9:26pm CST by Milo Taibi

The Knicks may be hard-pressed to make the postseason- FiveThirtyEight currently gives them a 2% chance of making the playoffs- but Carmelo Anthony doesn’t think that gives the team license to tank. Speaking to Laura Albanese of Newsday, Anthony said the Knicks shouldn’t focus on moving up in the draft lottery.

“As a player, you always disagree with that,” Anthony said, when asked if the Knicks should give up on the playoffs. “We’re the ones that are out there and playing and trying to win basketball games. I think it’s easier from the outside looking in, from a fan perspective, to say, OK, just tank, just lose games. I don’t know how you do that as a player.

I don’t know how you go into a game and say, ‘Today we’re going to try to lose this game or these next 15, 20 games. We’re going to figure out ways to lose and tank the season and start thinking about draft picks.’ That’s a terrible way to think and I don’t think any player in any sport should be thinking that.”

Anthony provides an interesting sentiment on the prospect of tanking from the player’s perspective. Clearly, producing sub-par lineups takes an emotional strain on highly competitive athletes. Unfortunately for Anthony, the Knicks appear content to make decisions without his input. According to Fred Kerber of the New York Post, Anthony wasn’t notified before Brandon Jennings was waived; a move detrimental to the team’s already fleeting playoff chances. What’s more, the team could always opt to sit Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis down the stretch, as Frank Isola of the Daily News alluded to in a recent column.

Anthony, who last made a postseason appearance in 2012/13, admitted he missed competing in the playoffs.

It’s something that I’ve gotten used to throughout my career,” Anthony told Albanese. “Just being there and giving myself a shot of at least seeing what can happen in the playoffs. I miss it. I miss it a lot. It’s something that I think about.”

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Jackson, Rose, Porzingis

March 1st, 2017 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Carmelo Anthony wants another face-to-face meeting with Knicks president Phil Jackson after the season, according to Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Anthony is seeking clarity on his future in New York after the team reportedly discussed trading him to the Celtics, Cavaliers or Clippers before last week’s deadline. Any of those deals would have required Anthony to waive his no-trade clause.

Anthony wants to address the rest of this season before discussing his next move. “I don’t think right now,” he said. “Right now we’ve got to sit down and kind of finish these games and go back down to the drawing board after this season.”

There’s more news out of New York:

Anthony wasn’t notified before Brandon Jennings was waived on Monday, but said he understands not being part of every personnel decision, Kerber relays in the same piece. Jennings had requested the move and agreed to a buyout so he could join a contender. He signed with the Wizards earlier today. “As players we don’t really know what happens behind closed doors unless they bring it to us,” Anthony said. “That wasn’t something that they brought to us.”
Derrick Rose‘s desire to play for a winner will affect his decisions in free agency this summer, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Rose plans to address that topic with Knicks management during his exit meeting. “We had extremely high expectations for this team,” Rose said. “The reality is, I can’t get mad at it. If anything it’s a learning experience. I have to learn from it.’’ Rose can sign an extension with New York before the start of free agency July 1st, but the team has been disappointed with his performance since last summer’s trade with Chicago and may not want to make a long-term commitment.
Coach Jeff Hornacek has incorporated Jackson’s triangle offense more frequently as the season wears on, and big man Kristaps Porzingis believes that’s the right approach, Berman writes in a separate story. “We should’ve been playing it from the beginning of the season,’’ Porzingis said. “We’re a little behind. I don’t know when we can finally start using it properly and making an impact.”

Knicks Notes: Rose, Jennings, Randle, Ndour

February 27th, 2017 at 6:39pm CST by Milo Taibi

The Knicks appear to be done with buyouts after parting ways with Brandon Jennings today. While there was some speculation about Derrick Rose being cut by the club, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN suggests the Knicks probably won’t complete any more buyouts unless “a player they like becomes available.” (Twitter link)

Despite Jeff Hornacek‘s words to the contrary, the Knicks appear to be in full-on tank mode at this point. Sporting a 24-35 record, the Knicks are four games behind Detroit for the eighth seed of the Eastern Conference.

Knicks Notes: Anthony, Rose, Porzingis, Jackson

February 24th, 2017 at 4:45pm CST by Milo Taibi

Carmelo Anthony is unsure of the Knicks‘ direction after standing pat at the trade deadline. “I think they were kind of planning on the trade deadline, whether they were trying to make moves,” Anthony said. “I think that was one plan. Now they’ve got to get back to the drawing board and come up with another plan about the future of this team.”

Anthony’s frustration is understandable. Team president Phil Jackson extensively discussed the prospect of shopping Anthony, despite ‘Melo’s no-trade clause. While Anthony wasn’t mentioned in trade rumors throughout the deadline, the team was apparently rebuffed by Minnesota on a Ricky Rubio-for-Derrick Rose swap. Anthony claimed he “kind of knew” he wouldn’t be dealt in the days leading up to the deadline, and spoke for his teammates in criticizing the front office’s lack of transparency.

“Yeah, I mean, nobody likes to be in limbo,” Anthony said. “We all want to know kind of what’s going on, especially when it’s involving you. I think there’s other players who feel the same way, that they want to be involved — not involved, but at least up to date with what’s going on.”

Deveney’s Latest: Tucker, Favors, Gallinari, Anthony

February 23rd, 2017 at 9:49am CST by Dana Gauruder

P.J. Tucker‘s expiring, affordable contract makes him the player most likely to be dealt before today’s trade deadline, according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. The Suns are holding out for a first-round pick for the veteran small forward, even if it’s a future first-rounder that they can use down the road as an asset, Deveney continues. The Jazz, Celtics, Clippers, Nuggets, Timberwolves, Hawks and Bulls have all shown interest in Tucker, giving the Suns hope they can get a first-round pick for him, Deveney adds.

Deveney touched on a number of other players who could be wearing a different uniform by the end of the day:

Luxury-tax concerns have the Jazz exploring the market for power forward Derrick Favors. Rudy Gobert‘s extension kicks in next season and Utah is hopeful of re-signing Gordon Hayward in the likelihood he opts out of the final year of his current contract this summer. That makes Favors expendable but his nagging knee injury has tempered the market for him.
Danilo Gallinari is drawing more interest on the market than fellow Nuggets forward Wilson Chandler. Denver is seeking a first-rounder for either player but Gallinari’s ability to opt out of his contract after the season makes it more difficult for the Nuggets to get value for him.
Carmelo Anthony is likely to stay put unless Knicks president Phil Jackson can revive talks with the Clippers. Jackson is also trying to deal free agents he signed last summer — Courtney Lee and Joakim Noah — for draft picks.
The Hawks, Hornets and Bucks have shown interest in point guard Darren Collison as the Kings continue their latest rebuild in the wake of the DeMarcus Cousins blockbuster.
The Bulls, Pacers and possibly the Mavericks are still in play as potential suitors for Sixers power forward Jahlil Okafor but Philadelphia is not determined to move him unless it gets the right package.
The Mavericks are hopeful of getting a first-rounder for either Andrew Bogut or Deron Williams but may be willing to settle for a couple of second-rounders.