It’s time for the Knicks to shut down Carmelo Anthony for the rest of the season, opines Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com. New York’s star has missed the past three games with a sore left knee and is unlikely to play against the Bucks today. Coach Derek Fisher said the team hasn’t talked to Anthony about ending his season, but Youngmisuk writes that considering the Knicks have lost 10 in a row and 20 of their last 21, there is nothing to be gained by continuing to play him.
There’s more from New York:
- Fisher said any decision to shut down Anthony will be made with input from both the player and the organization, reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. “From the conversations I’ve been a part of, I think everybody is smart enough to realize, calendar wise, timing wise, that there may come a point that that’s the decision that needs to be made,” Fisher said. “But [we realize] that we can’t force Carmelo to that point yet.” Anthony is in the first season of a five-year, $124MM contract and has said he plans to keep playing as long as the condition of his knee permits.
- The Knicks seem to be “tiptoeing” toward making a final decision with Anthony, writes Scott Cacciola of The New York Times. “I think there will definitely come a time at some point where there has to be a conversation about a longer space for him possibly,” Fisher said. “But it’s just not there at this point.” But with the team stuck at 5-30 and hopelessly out of the playoff race, the decision seems obvious. “As a friend. I’d tell him to take care of his body,” said teammate J.R. Smith.
- Help could be coming from the D-League, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Langston Galloway, a 6’2″ point guard, starred for the Knicks’ summer league team and has reportedly been impressing team president Phil Jackson with his play for New York’s D-League affiliate in Westchester. The organization sees him as the type of outside shooter it needs for the triangle. Ten-day contracts can be issued starting Monday.