We learned earlier today that the Knicks are feeling increasingly optimistic at their chances of re-signing Carmelo Anthony, and are planning to make a run at Pau Gasol in free agency. Here’s more from New York:
- Jose Calderon wants to play with Anthony, telling reporters including Marc Berman of The New York Post that he will soon tell the forward that he can make his life easier from the point. “I’m hoping to talk to him for sure,” Calderon said. “I’d love to make everything easier for him and make the team successful and try to get as far as we can.’’
- Calderon added that he would help recruit other players to New York as well. “This is my team,” said Calderon, who has ties to potential Knicks target Marc Gasol. “I’m going to help to improve it as much as I can. Anybody that we can get here or would be interested, I’d be willing to talk to, to try to make them come to the Knicks.”
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo may play in Greece next season, where teams are interested in signing him, reports Berman in a separate piece. Antetokounmpo was drafted with the 51st pick the Knicks received in the Dallas trade.
- Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders runs the numbers on the recent Knicks/Mavs trade. Since Dallas is a non-tax paying team, they were allowed to unevenly match the salaries of Samuel Dalembert, Calderon, and Wayne Ellington for Tyson Chandler, and count Shane Larkin‘s full salary toward the exception. Dallas receives a $1,536,960 trade exception for Larkin’s departure, and New York receives a $3,637,073 exception for Raymond Felton.
- Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com runs down how the draft moves of the teams planning to pursue Anthony may affect the race to sign the prized free agent.
where does Berman come up with this stuff? If Thanassis wanted to play in Greece he would of done it last year instead of playing in the D league.