It worked well for Michael Jordan. It worked well for Kobe Bryant.
So Carmelo Anthony is ready to give the triangle offense a shot.
Anthony said all last season that come free agency in the summer of 2014 he wanted to stay a Knick, he just needed to see a real plan for the future. Phil Jackson is that plan. The roster will be reshaped, the culture will change (with James Dolan staying on the sidelines… at least for now) and on the court the triangle offense will be run.
Anthony has been in the Knicks training facility the past couple weeks starting to pick up the nuances triangle offense, he told Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.Anthony says that he “can’t wait” to learn the offense that helped Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant win championships under Phil Jackson-coached teams.
“Without a doubt, without a doubt. When people say spots, I’m going to be all over the floor in the triangle,” Anthony said. “It makes it hard to guard, it keeps all eyes off of you. I’m looking forward to it, I’ve been saying it all summer. I can’t wait.”
Count me among the group that thinks Anthony can thrive in the triangle — if he moves the ball. If this is the same Anthony of the Mike D’Antoni era where the flow of the offense stops when the ball touches his hands it will not work. The triangle is about spacing and ball movement, taking advantage of what the defense gives you.
It also takes time to really learn. This is not an offense with set plays so much as it reads and reacts to what the defense is doing — each player is expected to read the defender then make the right pass or cut. Getting everyone on that same page takes time.
That said, the Knicks certainly have a shot at making the playoffs in the East if they can stay healthy. Plus you know Jackson is still reshaping the roster and trades could be coming to bring help. But like learning the triangle, it’s just going to take time.
By the way, Anthony also talked about his weight loss this summer.