The previously-reported meeting between Carmelo Anthony and Knicks president Phil Jackson took place on Tuesday, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com. Sources close to the situation inform Shelburne that Jackson asked Anthony during the sit-down if he wants to remain with the Knicks. And according to Frank Isola of The New York Daily News (Twitter link), Anthony told Jackson that he does indeed want to stick with the club.
One source who spoke to Shelburne described today’s meeting as “far more contentious” than previous sit-downs between Anthony and Jackson, though Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link) hears from a source that the meeting was “calm” and “business-like.”
Shelburne’s story suggests that, while no specific trades were discussed, the two sides left the meeting intending to take some time to think about the situation. However, as Isola reports (via Twitter), Anthony’s response to Jackson’s inquiry today echoed what he has been saying to reporters this week — he prefers to remain a Knick, and wants to win with the franchise.
Anthony is one of just three players who has a formal no-trade clause written into his contract, so any deal that sends him out of New York would require his approval. A substantial salary and a 15% trade kicker would make it hard for the Knicks to find a match, but assuming Jackson and the front office accept Melo’s preference to remain in New York, it doesn’t sound as if the team will need to explore the trade market anyway.
This week’s drama in New York stemmed from a column by Charley Rosen of FanRag. Rosen, a longtime Jackson confidant, was extremely critical of Anthony, writing that the forward’s legs are “going, going, almost gone,” and adding that the nine-time All-Star has “outlived his usefulness” in New York. While Rosen clarified that those were his views alone, and didn’t come from Jackson, the close relationship between the two created some uncertainty for Anthony, necessitating today’s meeting.
Carmelo needs to team up with another true star that is just as hungry as he is…. rite now he’s just wasting time with ah bunch of clowns!!!
He had ai and look how that turn out
He’s the head clown.
Are you freaking kidding me? Is melo retarded? Anyone with a shred of common sense knows that this knick team needs to rebuild. What a selfish person? Also Phil Jackson is retarded for asking him that. You should’ve said we need you to leave
Exactly. If I was Jackson, I would’ve said “Either veto that no trade clause, or you’ll never see the court again as a Knick. I don’t care how much it costs me.”
These executives need to stop playing patty cake with these whiny entitled “stars.” Melo isn’t even a star, anymore.
Sure, doing that would be really helping the Knicks’ image to attract future free agents
It’s New York City. Madison Square Garden. Top tier talent will always sign up to play there. It isn’t Utah.
The biggest free agent signing the Knicks have had in the last 15 years was Stat. Not sure how people still don’t realize that the Knicks do not attract free agents
The problem with the knicks team is they lack passion on defense. They have great offensive arsenal on their disposal but the defensive end that really kills this team. If they could get a player who really committed to play defense every single game then this team should be fine.
What really kills them is the lack of ball movement and playmaking. They have too many shoot-first players and not enough playmakers
Phil should have told him we dont want u here so either wave the no trade or sit the next 2 years on the bench.
Is he staying to spite the Knicks? Like, you fools paid me, now you gotta reap the repercussions.
Hasn’t the theme always been he is in NYC to further his wife’s career?
And I’m just sitting here wondering why all the hate for Melo. Him and Porzingis are the only 2 players capable of keeping the Knicks relevant. It’s not his fault that Porzingis is literally the only good thing Phil’s done since he became president.
Newsflash. The Knicks aren’t relevant.
The Knicks will always be relevant, just like the Lakers. No matter how bad they are.
Carmelo Anthony Tells Phil Jackson He Wants To Remain A Knick
He (Melo) thinks he is special and can continue to get away with being highly paid and lackadaisical at the same time
SMH
Phil Jackson is a clown
It’s pretty crazy the Carmelo Anthony story. He doesn’t care about winning. He only cares about getting paid and living the Hollywood life in New York or LA and he’s from New York so that’s where he’ll stay
He’s too scared of that pig he calls a wife. She doesn’t want to leave NYC. She wears the pants.
Not what I wanted to hear. I’m waiting for trade season to start up… the Korver deal got me all excited and I thought we’d get a quick flurry of trades.