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Carmelo Anthony

Atlantic Notes: Mills, Knicks, Wallace

October 16th, 2013 at 8:16pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from around the Atlantic Division.

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Carmelo Anthony Wants To Test Free Agency

October 16th, 2013 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Much is being made of the potential free agent class of 2014, since players like LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Carmelo Anthony could become available next summer. While all of those players have options in their contracts that would allow them to become free agents, it’s also possible that they’ll continue on under their current deals. However, it sounds as if Carmelo, at least, is looking forward to the opportunity to test the market.

“I want to be a free agent,” Anthony told Rafi Kohan of the New York Observer. “I think everybody in the NBA dreams to be a free agent at least one time in their career. It’s like you have an evaluation period, you know. It’s like if I’m in the gym and I have all the coaches, all the owners, all the GMs come into the gym and just evaluate everything I do. So yes, I want that experience.”

The Knicks superstar didn’t specify exactly when he’s planning to become a free agent, so it’s entirely possible that he decides to exercise his option for 2014/15 and play out his current contract. It’s also possible that Carmelo opts out next summer and immediately re-signs with the Knicks, the team that could guarantee him more years and dollars than any other potential suitor.

As I noted back in August, Carmelo will become eligible to sign a contract extension in February 2014, and so far in his career, he has chosen that route — when he was dealt to the Knicks in 2011, he immediately inked an extension, meaning he has yet to go through free agency. Based on Anthony’s comments though, is appears the 29-year-old has no plans to sign an in-season extension this time around.

Barring a very disappointing 2013/14 season for the Knicks, I’d expect New York to continue to be the frontrunner for Carmelo’s long-term services. Still, since the former third overall pick sounds as if he intends to hit the open market sooner or later, rumors are bound to continue swirling around him and the team. As he tells Kohan, Anthony hopes that Knicks fans don’t overreact to those inevitable rumors.

“I came to New York for a reason,” Anthony said. “I’ve been with you all my life, almost to a fault. I wanted to come here and take on the pressures of playing in New York. So one thing I would tell my fans: If you haven’t heard it from me, then it ain’t true.”

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Atlantic Links: Sixers, ‘Melo, Green, Lopez

October 12th, 2013 at 10:17pm CST by Spencer Lund

Through his first three preseason games, Sixers rookie Michael Carter Williams has 16 assists and just 1 turnover. In Orlando, during summer league action, MCW averaged 4.8 turnovers a game, which was the highest in Orlando.

But Sixers coach Brett Brown wants Carter-Williams to play faster and even more uptempo, he tells the Intelligencer’s Tom Moore: “I actually think we can play faster and he can play faster,” Brown said. “I think we can get it out of the net on makes better. I really feel that’s where we want to place a lot of our focus.”

The risk is MCW’s turnover issues from the summer return if he plays  out of control trying to match the uptempo pace Brown is favoring with his young team.

Here are some more links from around the Atlantic division on this Saturday night:

  • Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony told Marc Berman of the New York Post  that he took a “huge risk” this season by not having surgery on his left shoulder.
  • Anthony actually had a torn rotator cuff to go along with a partially torn labrum, but elected not to have the surgery because doctors told him it would be a 4-5 month recovery because of the severity of the tear and he would have missed the beginning of the season.
  • But now, ‘Melo says he “feels nothing,” as the twin tears healed themselves.
  • Knicks coach Mike Woodson says he needs to see more toughness from Cole Aldrich, and that he needs to do the “dirty work,” tweets Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
  • Jeff Green has shot just 28.6% from the field (8-for-28) through the Celtics‘ first three preseason games, but coach Brad Stevens says it’s too small a sample size to accurately judge, reports the Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy.
  • Stevens thinks Green needs more paint points for the C’s, and tells Murphy, “Getting an and-one, an offensive rebound – something that’s a more difficult thing to do but with an easier finish. That can open the floodgates.”
  • Brook Lopez came to camp this year at 290 pounds, tweets Pistons.com’s Keith Langlois. That’s 15 pounds heavier than last year’s playing weight for the Nets center, and Langlois says Lopez “looks massive now.”
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Knicks Links: Carmelo, Mills, Woodson, Smith

October 1st, 2013 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

There was no shortage of Knicks-related headlines yesterday, as the team officially announced multiple camp invitees and exercised Mike Woodson's 2014/15 option. We also rounded up a few notable quotes from new GM Steve Mills, and heard that Kobe Bryant may play a role in Carmelo Anthony's free agency. This morning, we have a few more tidbits left over from Media Day in New York, so let's check out those links….

  • Anthony's teammates may believe he's not going anywhere next summer, and Carmelo himself hasn't suggested he's looking to bolt in free agency, but the Knicks can't take any chances, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com, suggesting that the team needs to position itself to add more complementary pieces around its star.
  • With the Knicks selling their front office shake-up as a change in direction, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com came away from yesterday's presser wondering if (and how) Mills is more capable of keeping Anthony happy than Glen Grunwald would have been.
  • Mills suggested that his use of analytics was part of the reason he was hired by James Dolan to replace the more old-school Grunwald. Given the restrictive nature of the new CBA for taxpaying teams, it's crucial for the team to find value wherever it can, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Sulia).
  • The decision to pick up Woodson's option will ensure that it's not a lame-duck season for the Knicks head coach, but it doesn't necessarily guarantee he'll remain with the team for that 2014/15 season, as Berman writes in a piece for the Post.
  • J.R. Smith explained to reporters, including Al Iannazzone of Newsday, that putting off knee surgeries until after he had signed a new contract was a "family decision."

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Kobe To Play Role in Carmelo’s Free Agency?

September 30th, 2013 at 11:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

Carmelo Anthony didn't give reporters at Knicks media day today any insight into his potential free agency next summer, but a source close to the six-time All-Star tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Kobe Bryant may influence where Anthony plays next season. Bryant could be the "X-factor" in Anthony's decision-making, Isola writes, and if Bryant invites Anthony to chase a title with him, the Knicks may lose their superstar.

Anthony can opt out of his contract next summer, and Bryant is entering the final season of his deal with the Lakers. Even though new Knicks president Steve Mills is clear about his desire to have Anthony back, while the Lakers are holding off on negotiations with Bryant, L.A. seems a far more likely setting than New York if the two are to play together. Bryant isn't eager to take a pay cut on his league-high $30.5MM salary, and it would be virtually impossible for him to change teams next summer without significantly reducing his salary. The Lakers have Bryant's Bird rights and they'll have plenty of cap room available next summer to sign Anthony or another marquee free agent.

Still, both players are nine months away from free agency, and neither of them have dropped any hints themselves about a desire to play together, so there are no strong indications that Anthony will be switching coasts. Much also hinges on another could-be free agent, LeBron James, and where he decides to play, but Anthony's future figures to be a consistent storyline all season.

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Knicks Notes: Mills, Carmelo, Thomas

September 30th, 2013 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

It was Media Day in New York today, and after a busy offseason for the Knicks, there was plenty to discuss. New general manager Steve Mills deflected questions about the timing of his hiring, or James Dolan's motive for that decision or any others, but he, coach Mike Woodson, and several Knicks players still delivered a few quotes of note. Here are the highlights, via a collection of Knicks beat writers (links go to Twitter unless otherwise indicated):

  • Asked about Carmelo Anthony's future, Mills stressed that the team has no plans to let him get away next summer: "We’ve made it clear that we have every intention of making Carmelo a Knick for a long time to come."
  • For his part, Anthony declined to talk extensively about his contract situation, telling reporters that he'll deal with it when the time comes. However, teammates Kenyon Martin and Raymond Felton both indicated that they couldn't imagine Carmelo leaving New York.
  • Mills made it sounds as if Dolan was interested in completely overhauling the basketball operations department, according to Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press. The GM also confirmed that he's considering adding someone to work beneath him, potentially an internal candidate.
  • Prior to accepting the Knicks' GM position, Mills was considering becoming the NBPA's executive director or the athletic director at Princeton, but felt like the New York job was a perfect fit. It's not clear whether Mills had been offered either of those other positions, or whether he was simply in the running.
  • Mills, who originally hired Isiah Thomas for the Knicks back in 2003, said that Thomas wouldn't be returning to the franchise (link via RealGM.com).

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Atlantic Notes: Woodson, Kidd, Sixers, Knicks

September 28th, 2013 at 8:50pm CST by Spencer Lund

Despite the Knicks having their best year since the 1990s, their coach, Mike Woodson, is on the hot seat, writes ESPN Insider Amin Elhassan [subscription only]. Elhassan goes through five coaches entering the 2013/14 campaign on the hot seat, where their team's success could determine whether they're brought back for the 2014/15 season.

The other four coaches mentioned include Mike D'Antoni of the Lakers, Monty Williams of the Pelicans, Tyrone Corbin of the Jazz, and Randy Wittman of the Wizards. 

Conversely, when Roderick Boone of Newsday spoke with new Nets coach Jason Kidd, the new face in Brooklyn told him there was "exciting nervousness" as the team entered training camp. It will be the first training camp for Kidd as a head coach and the first training camp he hasn't begun as a player since the summer before he entered the league in 1994.  

Kidd went on to explain to Roderick why he's lucky to start as the coach with the veteran-laden Nets:

"The nice thing about this opportunity with this team is guys being able to sacrifice," Kidd told Boone, "and that's another thing with these guys. Maybe sacrifice a shot or two. Maybe even some of the younger guys will say, 'Yeah, I don't mind not playing the fourth quarter,' and that's sacrifice. It's less minutes and less shots and it gets us a win."

Here's more from around the top-heavy Atlantic division…

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Knicks Notes: Carmelo, Mills, Grunwald, Houston

September 27th, 2013 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks surprised the NBA world yesterday when they announced that Steve Mills would be replacing Glen Grunwald as the team's general manager. We've already passed along a few of the reactions to that move, but there are a few more leftovers on the front office shake-up among today's Knicks items. Let's round them up….

  • The Knicks' front office changes are "all to keep Carmelo [Anthony]," a rival executive tells Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. If Carmelo is going to commit long-term to the Knicks next summer, he wants to feel confident that the team can attract a marquee free agent in 2015, when cap space is available, writes Beck. According to that rival exec, Mills likely has a better chance of luring a top free agent than Grunwald, who is soft-spoken and isn't as connected to the players.
  • Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld wonders whether it would be even be in the Knicks' best interests to re-sign Anthony to a max deal in 2014.
  • Agent Rick Kaplan, who represents Marcus Camby, called the Knicks' demotion of Grunwald "absurd" and "cruel," according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. "He did everything he was asked to do by his owner, and did it with a smile on his face," Kaplan said. "The only good news is that some lucky team will have Glen fall in its lap and he can finally work for a team that appreciates his enormous talent and class."
  • One "prominent NBA executive" who spoke to Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News agreed with Kaplan, asking rhetorically, "What in the world did Glen Grunwald do to get fired? They gave [Mills] two jobs today and he isn’t qualified for either one of them."
  • Sources tell Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report that Allan Houston is likely being groomed to be the next GM in New York.

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Eastern Notes: Bulls, Wizards, Hawks

September 26th, 2013 at 10:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune discusses the health of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, Luol Deng's uncertain long-term future with the franchise, how Mike Dunleavy Jr. will look to mesh with the roster, and how Jimmy Butler will handle a move to starting shooting guard as five things to look at for the Bulls going into fall.  Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

  • Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago (via Twitter) says that Chicago's official training camp roster is expected to be released tomorrow but doesn't expect Malcolm Thomas or Chris Wright to be on the list. 
  • Michael Lee of CSN Washington wonders if John Wall is ready to lead the Wizards to the playoffs, who will step up in the absence of Emeka Okafor, if Bradley Beal is primed for a breakout season, what to expect from Otto Porter, and the health of Nene as the team's top storylines heading into training camp. 
  • Hawks GM Danny Ferry wouldn't set a timeline for the return of Louis Williams (who is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery), though he did say that the eighth-year guard has been playing one-on-one games and has had no restrictions in doing so. Ferry also appeared encouraged about what Dennis Schröder can contribute to the team now as a promising prospect and said that Lucas Nogueira and Mike Muscala still need to continue their development overseas (USA Today via the Associated Press). 
  • As Tom Layman of the Boston Herald points out, Celtics coach Brad Stevens will look toward Avery Bradley to be the team's floor general while they wait for the return of Rajon Rondo. In another piece, a handful of college coaches had positive comments for Stevens regarding how they believe he'll be able to transition to the NBA game (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
  • With Steve Mills in place as the Knicks' newest GM, Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld thinks that it will be important for Mills to start forming a strong relationship with Carmelo Anthony now, especially with the possibility that he could become a free agent this upcoming summer. 
  • Since arriving in New York City, Anthony has been able to build his brand and explore plenty of business opportunities, writes Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report. From the sound of it, Zwerling doesn't think that Anthony will be leaving New York anytime soon, even with an opt-out clause at the end of the season. 
  • Ian Begley of ESPN New York examines the orange and blue's current situation at small forward. 
  • With the rest of the NBA's power elite growing tired of the Heat's dominance, Sam Amick of USA Today delves into why the 2013/14 season could be Miami's toughest campaign for a title yet. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that the Bulls are especially eager to put a halt to the Heat's reign as the NBA's top dog. 

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Carmelo Anthony Not Interested In Leaving Knicks

September 11th, 2013 at 9:56pm CST by Alex Lee

Carmelo Anthony strongly indicated on Wednesday night that he plans to re-sign with the Knicks rather than opt out of his contract and explore free agency after the upcoming season, writes Al Ianozzone of Newsday.  In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Anthony said that he came to New York in hopes of thriving on a big stage and has no plans to give up on his pursuit of a title in the Big Apple. 

"I'm not going nowhere," Anthony said during the interview.  "That is one of the reasons why I wanted to come here to New York, just so I could take on those pressures and those challenges. A lot of people do not like to deal with the pressure. A lot of people do not know how to deal with the challenges they face. To me, it is everyday life.''

Anthony will make $23.3MM in the 2014/15 season and can re-up with the Knicks for five years and $129MM next summer, assuming he keeps his word about not discussing his contract during the season.  The Knicks can begin negotiations as early as February.  Other NBA teams can only offer Anthony four years and around $95MM.  Asked about Anthony's intentions a few weeks ago, J.R. Smith said that while he expects his teammate to stick around, he also expected him to do the same in Denver too before he eventually left for New York. 

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