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Knicks Notes: Rivers, Anthony, Boeheim

February 8th, 2017 at 9:42pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Austin Rivers said the Knicks were on his short list when he was a free agent this past summer, as Laura Albanese of Newsday writes. “[The Knicks] were a huge option,” Rivers said. “That was a team that I was really considering.”

The Knicks are eyeing Rivers in a potential Carmelo Anthony deal. The guard hears the rumors surrounding his name, but he remains focused on helping his current team win.

“When [a trade] happens, it’ll be new for me, but after that, it’s whatever. Just focus on playing basketball, help my team, that’s it,” Rivers said.

[RELATED: Latest On Carmelo Anthony]

Here’s more on the Knicks from Albanese’s piece:

Team president Phil Jackson and coach Jeff Hornacek wanted to sign Rivers over the summer and they believed he would have been a great fit next to Derrick Rose, as Albanese passes along in the same piece. “Jeff had a vision of playing a little bit up-tempo,” Rivers said of his free agent meeting with the Knicks. “I don’t know how that’s panned out or what they’ve done, but I think that also changes when you’ve got certain players . . . He wanted to [coach us the way he] coached that Suns team, they wanted to get up and down and he thought me and Derrick could play together, get up and down, start ‘1’ and ‘2.’ ”
Anthony has not said publicly that he would waive his no-trade clause to leave the Knicks, but his former coach Jim Boeheim thinks he would do it for two teams, Albanese relays in the same piece. “I think it depends on the team,” Boeheim said. “I think [the Clippers or the Cavaliers] would be ideal. But I don’t know if it can be worked out. I hope it can.”
Boeheim added that he’d love to see Anthony play with “somebody that could win.” He added that the Knicks have to make a move because he believes the team cannot win as currently constructed.
Clippers coach Doc Rivers wouldn’t entertain much trade talk when asked about Anthony before tonight’s game. “We don’t have Carmelo. I swear to God. He plays for the Knicks. That’s your story and that’s the way we leave it. You can ask us about our guys, but Carmelo is not on our team,” the coach said.

Latest On Carmelo Anthony

February 8th, 2017 at 3:47pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Knicks team president Phil Jackson appears to be pressuring Carmelo Anthony to waive his no-trade clause, but the public campaign is making the 9-time All-Star’s desire to stay with New York even stronger, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical reports. “[Jackson]’s underestimating ‘Melo’s willingness to stay,” a source told Wojnarowski.

Anthony has privately told some of his teammates that he won’t let Jackson run him out of town, according to Wojnarowski. The scribe adds that the Knicks have contacted the Clippers, Celtics, and Cavs about an Anthony deal, but the teams have put together underwhelming proposals that include only role players. Anthony has privately indicated an interest in those three teams, but the Knicks haven’t found a package they are willing to accept.

Boston hasn’t shown much interest in Anthony. The franchise is much more enamored with Jimmy Butler and Paul George since they are both younger and their games are more well-rounded, Wojnarowski adds.

The Knicks may search for trades outside those three teams and attempt to persuade Anthony to waive his no-trade clause to go to another team, though New York hasn’t yet begun that process. Wojnarowski adds that if Jackson had employed more transparent approach, Anthony would have been more open to finding an agreeable solution, which may have included agreeing to a trade. However, Jackson’s antics have severely damaged the relationship and it may be beyond repair.

Agents: Jackson’s Behavior May Sour FAs On Knicks

February 8th, 2017 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Phil Jackson‘s veiled criticisms of Carmelo Anthony have raised eyebrows around the NBA, and player agents have taken notice of the Knicks president’s behavior. Multiple “prominent agents” have told Ian Begley of ESPN.com that Jackson’s handling of the Anthony situation would turn off their own clients – and others – to the idea of joining the franchise in free agency.

According to Begley, several people in the Knicks’ front office think that the team would be best off trading Anthony in order to focus on building around players like Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez. While that may be true, Anthony has a no-trade clause and has expressed a strong preference to remain in New York.

Rather than accepting that stance and exploring other ways to improve the club’s outlook, Jackson appears to be prodding Anthony in an effort to encourage him to waive that no-trade clause. The merits of that approach are debatable — Jackson has been known to use the media in the past to manipulate certain situations and motivate players. However, those tactics looked savvier when he was presiding over championship rosters and getting quantitative results. Based on Begley’s conversations with agents, it seems as though players around the league are unimpressed with Jackson’s actions this season.

With or without Anthony, the Knicks will likely head into the offseason armed with a good deal of cap room and some holes to fill on their roster. If the team is willing to make Joakim Noah-esque contract offers to certain free agents, perhaps Jackson’s behavior won’t be a factor, but the Knicks president may want to reevaluate his motivation tactics as the summer nears.

New York Notes: Lopez, Nets, Knicks, Jackson

February 8th, 2017 at 10:49am CST by Luke Adams

Brook Lopez is no stranger to trade rumors, and joked this week that he “wouldn’t be comfortable” without the constant speculation, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. Reiterating his desire to remain with the Nets, Lopez said that he’ll be happy as long as the team keeps him in the loop.

“I realize there’s a possibility of both things (staying with the Nets or being traded). I’ve said what I’d prefer,” Lopez said. “They’re going to make their decision, but I would hope that I’d be informed, and I have the confidence they would inform me if they were thinking [of doing] something or something was going down.”

Here’s more on New York’s two teams:

The Nets have reached an agreement with enterprise software company Infor to display their patch on Brooklyn’s jerseys, according to Bloomberg’s Scott Soshnick. Soshnick hears from a source that the Nets will receive $8MM annually from Infor under the NBA’s three-year pilot program for jersey sponsorship. The company will also provide the franchise with “data analytics and technology to support the team’s business operations, fan experience initiatives and player performance,” per Soshnick.
Asked about the possibility of Knicks management blowing up the roster and focusing on the future, Courtney Lee admits that he couldn’t blame the front office for considering that route. “But I’m still confident in the group, man,” Lee added, per Ian Begley of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post interprets Phil Jackson‘s Tuesday subtweet to Carmelo Anthony as a sign that the Knicks president wants out of New York.
With the Clippers in town to face the Knicks, New York will be closely monitoring Austin Rivers, who could be part of an Anthony deal with L.A. Marc Berman of The New York Post has the story.

Latest On Carmelo Anthony, Phil Jackson

February 7th, 2017 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks president Phil Jackson was quiet once again after his team suffered an embarrassing home loss to the Lakers on Monday, but he did issue a public statement of sorts this afternoon. In his first tweet of 2017, Jackson drew attention to Kevin Ding’s latest piece for Bleacher Report.

Ding’s article suggests that Carmelo Anthony isn’t as dedicated to winning as Jackson’s previous stars, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. In Ding’s view, Jackson believed when he arrived in New York that he could get more out of Anthony, and has been unsuccessful in turning him into something he’s not. The piece drew a response from Jackson, who seemed to agree with the general premise, though he took exception to one part.

“Bleacher’s Ding almost rings the bell,” Jackson tweeted today. “But I learned you don’t change the spot on a leopard with Michael Graham in my CBA daze.”

Graham, a Georgetown standout in the mid-1980s, landed on Jackson’s CBA team in 1986 after academic problems cost him his spot on the Hoyas. Graham got into an in-game altercation with Jackson and was waived several days later, having appeared in just 11 games for the Albany Patroons. Jackson later wrote in his memoir that he was unable to get through to Graham, whose eyes would “glaze over” when Jackson tried to talk to him (link via Alan Siegel of The Washingtonian).

The parallel line Jackson appears to draw from Graham to Anthony isn’t exactly a flattering one, and may further alienate the star forward. Anthony has repeatedly said he’d like to remain in New York, and has the power to veto any trade, but Jackson and the Knicks have created a potential rift in the relationship. Jackson’s tweet today suggests the team president isn’t exactly attempting to mend that rift.

Knicks Notes: D. Williams, Carmelo, P. Jackson

February 7th, 2017 at 12:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Last June, Derrick Williams turned down a player option with the Knicks and then was surprised when the team didn’t re-engage with him on talks about a new contract. The former No. 2 overall pick ultimately signed a one-year deal with the Heat for the exact amount he would’ve earned in New York, but finds himself without an NBA home again this week after being cut by Miami to make room for Okaro White.

Although the Knicks don’t currently have an open spot on their roster, they would have some interest in re-adding Williams if he clears waivers, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.com. There’s no guarantee of a reunion between Williams and the Knicks, but the veteran forward does still have “some fans” within the organization, per Begley.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Joakim Noah has become close with Carmelo Anthony this season, and would like to see Anthony remain in New York through this year’s trade deadline, as Marc Berman of The New York Post details. Noah is also hoping that team management won’t give up on this season to focus on the long-term future. “We’re not there,” Noah said. “We’re a team that we have to stay in the moment and stay focused. I know what this jersey means to everybody in this locker room.”
In the wake of an ugly home loss to the Lakers, Knicks president Phil Jackson remains silent, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. As things continue to go south for the team, Jackson has allowed the situation to “spiral out of control, adopting the organizational attitude of passing off responsibility,” in Bondy’s view.
Berman hears from a source that Jackson is “miserable” with the Knicks’ losing record, but the New York Post scribe says that’s no excuse for Jackson’s behavior. According to Berman, Anthony has every right to exercise his no-trade clause if that’s what he wants to do, and Jackson should stop trying to run the star forward out of town.

Kennedy’s Latest: Jefferson, Mahinmi, Ibaka, Magic

February 6th, 2017 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

A trade between the Hornets and Bucks last week featured three centers, with Roy Hibbert, Spencer Hawes, and Miles Plumlee all changing teams, and that certainly won’t be the last deal of the month involving bigs. A Western Conference executive tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype that a handful of teams around the NBA have been shopping recently-acquired big men in the hopes of finding a deal.

According to Kennedy, Pacers center Al Jefferson, Wizards center Ian Mahinmi, and Magic big man Serge Ibaka are among the players believed to be available. Ibaka’s name recently surfaced in trade rumors, and it comes as no surprise that Jefferson and Mahinmi could be had in the right deal as well — Jefferson has seen his role significantly reduced this season in Indiana, while Mahinmi has barely played for Washington due to health problems.

Kennedy passes along a few more items of interest in his latest piece, so let’s round up a few highlights…

Kennedy asked multiple sources which NBA teams will be most eager to make a trade before the deadline, and each of those sources mentioned the Magic. Additionally, some people around the league believe general manager Rob Hennigan is on the hot seat in Orlando, writes Kennedy.
Last week, a Chicago Tribune report indicated that rival executives believe the Celtics and Bulls will revisit Jimmy Butler trade talks this month. Kennedy heard that prediction from several executives as well, though one exec said Chicago can be “tough to negotiate with,” while another suggested that the Bulls might be more inclined to wait until the offseason for a move of that magnitude.
Trade rumors have swirled around Carmelo Anthony as of late, but the star forward controls his future due to his no-trade clause. According to Kennedy, many people around the league aren’t convinced that the marriage between the Knicks and Phil Jackson will be a long-term one, so it’s possible – as one executive suggests – that Anthony will decide to stay with the Knicks this month and then see if anything happens with Jackson this summer.

Latest On Carmelo Anthony

January 29th, 2017 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Although the Celtics have stated that they’re not interested in dealing for Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks haven’t given up on them as a trade partner, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. New York had a scout at Saturday’s Celtics game and the organization is “intrigued” by several of Boston’s players.

A source told Washburn that Knicks president Phil Jackson has issued orders to move Anthony, who has indicated that the Celtics are one of the teams he would consider waiving his no-trade clause to join. Another source says Brad Stevens would love to coach Anthony, but president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has rejected the Knicks’ overtures. Washburn adds that Boston could serve as a third team to help send Anthony to the Clippers.

There’s more this morning on the Anthony trade front:

The Celtics present the only realistic trade destination for Anthony, according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. In a video posted on CSNNE, Mannix says Ainge is in a “great position” to present the Knicks with a lowball offer and dare them to keep Anthony past the February 23rd deadline. Mannix speculates that any deal wouldn’t involve the Nets’ first-rounders that Boston owns for the next two seasons, but may include other Celtics draft picks. He also dismissed recent rumors of a Knicks-Clippers deal, saying it won’t happen unless New York is willing to accept a “garbage package” involving Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and others.
Anthony admits the trade rumors can be a distraction, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. “You’ve got to deal with that, even though I try not to read it,” he told reporters. “And everywhere you go, even if you don’t hear about it, somebody is telling you about it, somebody is saying something. It can be mentally draining, mentally fatiguing.”
If the Knicks trade Anthony, they should also get rid of Derrick Rose and some of the other veterans they added over the offseason, suggests Newsday’s Al Iannazzone. Rose is a defensive liability and has already deserted the team once, Iannazzone notes, adding that he doesn’t appear to be part of the team’s “long-term solution.” He also writes that free agent additions Joakim Noah, Courtney Lee and Brandon Jennings didn’t come to New York to play for a team without Anthony, and believes the organization should commit to rebuilding if Anthony is traded.

Knicks Notes: Jackson, Anthony, Hernangomez, Rose

January 22nd, 2017 at 9:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The tactics that Phil Jackson used as a coach don’t work well for an executive, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. Isola contends that the Knicks president has been playing mind games with Carmelo Anthony in the media, possibly trying to get him to waive his no-trade clause. Anthony turned that around this week by speculating that he might agree to a trade if the Knicks ask him to, putting the decision back on Jackson. Isola also questions how long owner James Dolan is willing to watch an executive publicly criticize his best player. He notes that the Knicks are 5-14 since Jackson’s December 6th interview when he accused Anthony of slowing down the offense. After another disappointing loss Saturday night in which his last-second 3-pointer rimmed out, Anthony said he tries not to concern himself with off-court issues. “I’m done kinda worrying about that,” he said. “My only focus is the guys in the locker room.”

There’s more today out of New York:

It might be time for Anthony and the Knicks to part ways, writes George Willis of The New York Post. Willis believes an Anthony deal might be necessary considering the current state of the team, which is now 19-26 and three games out of the final playoff spot. Anthony met with Jackson earlier this week to discuss a column by Jackson confidant Charley Rosen suggesting that Anthony was no longer useful in New York. Willis notes that Anthony would get an additional $9.9MM over two seasons if he gets traded and lists the Cavaliers, Clippers and Celtics as possible destinations.
The Knicks believe they found a steal in rookie Willy Hernangomez, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Hernangomez has been drawing comparisons to Grizzlies center Marc Gasol, his teammate on the Spanish National Team. “When I heard that, I felt great because it means they see what I can do,” Hernangomez said. “I try to work hard every day, and when I have the chance to be on the court, I do my best. For me, I feel very happy when they compare me to Marc Gasol.” Henangomez is averaging 5.5 points and 4.6 rebounds in 36 games. The Knicks acquired his rights in a draft-day trade in 2015 after the Sixers took him with the 35th pick.
Point guard Derrick Rose isn’t getting foul calls on his drives to the basket the way he used to in Chicago, writes Brian Heyman for Newsday.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Noah, Sullinger

January 19th, 2017 at 1:29pm CST by Will Joseph

The Knicks are not headed in any particular direction, which is arguably the worst position for franchise to be in, and New York president Phil Jackson is a significant reason for that, Chris Herring of ESPN.com argues in a panel of fellow ESPN scribes (Insider subscription required). Carmelo Anthony is also partly to blame because his large contract, which includes a no-trade clause is hamstringing the team, is holding the franchise hostage, Bradford Doolittle opines. The panel suggested, however, that Anthony still has something left and in the right situation he could be a positive part of the Knicks. There are differing opinions on whether or not the Knicks should be in win-now mode or start tanking, with the latter being difficult to do, considering it would mean shedding players with contracts teams would have to take on creatively.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Joakim Noah hasn’t lived up to his $72MM contract and it’s possible that the Knicks will take him out of the starting line-up once Kristaps Porzingis is healthy enough to return to action, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Noah is averaging 5.6 points per game this season.
Jared Sullinger made his season debut for the Raptors on Wednesday and although the team lost, he felt like he exceed his own expectations, as Doug Smith of the Toronto Star relays. “I was able to keep up with the game,” Sullinger said. “I didn’t think I was going to be able to keep up, especially how hard and how fast the Sixers play, but I was able to keep up with the game.”
Jae Crowder is more valuable to the Celtics than Anthony could ever be, Logan Mullen of WEEI.com contends. Mullen argues that Anthony doesn’t provide the intensity that Crowder brings on a nightly basis. The scribe admits that the Celtics need one more star player, but cautions that Anthony isn’t the right fit.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post