Knicks president Phil Jackson said Carmelo Anthony “would be better off somewhere else.”
That drew a huge uproar – from the players’ union with a statement, from Kristaps Porzingis with a skipped exit meeting, from other players with leaked discontent.
From practically everyone but Anthony himself.
But Jackson revealed the response of Anthony, who holds a no-trade clause.
ICYMI: @PhilJackson11 with @AlTrautwig on @MSGNetworks talking about the No. 8 pick, Porzingis, Melo, & more. #Knicks pic.twitter.com/tQsOQNVX3x
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 22, 2017
Here’s a guy that’s really special, Hall of Fame player who’s done a lot for our organization. We know that we value him highly, and we know that the NBA does, and other teams do.
This is something that is on the long-term kind of situational thing. We’ve expressed the fact that – we’ve done a lot of things to try to put teams together than can win, and we haven’t been successful. And it might be time for him to find an opportunity to go somewhere else. He’s come back and said he’d just as soon stay.
We’re trying to start growing from the youth aspect of it. There will be conversations after the draft and after the free agency, as teams start reorganizing their rosters. So, there will be other conversations in the process.
I don’t know whether it sounds phonier for Jackson to talk up Anthony’s value to the Knicks or to the rest of the league. If Anthony were so valuable to the Knicks, they wouldn’t be trying to trade him – especially because he’ll return so little. He’s 33 and due more than $54 million over the next two years. Potential trade partners know its a closed market, Anthony’s ability to pick his destination through his no-trade clause eliminating desperate losing teams in small markets.
Resisting a trade is the same approach Anthony took before the trade deadline. Apparently, according to Jackson, Anthony hasn’t changed his stance – and that’s what matters.
Anthony controls this process.
Good luck changing his mind, Phil.