It seems like Phil Jackson is trying to annoy Carmelo Anthony right off his roster.
When Jackson publicly co-signed a Yahoo article spotlighting Anthony’s score first (& at all times) mentality, he might have hoped Anthony would drop everything; including his no-trade clause so he could get as far away from Jackson & NYC as possible..if the following report via Yahoo Sports is true; Jackson’s sneak-dissing could do just the opposite:
“[Jackson’s] underestimating ‘Melo’s willingness to stay,” a source familiar with Anthony’s thinking told The Vertical.
Anthony has privately told teammates, too: He refuses to let Jackson run him out of the Knicks. The Knicks have contacted three teams – the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers – about possible Anthony trades. The Clippers and Cavaliers have interest, but only in cobbling together packages that include role players, league sources told The Vertical.
In other words, Melo could stay in New York (and continue eating up a huge chunk of the Knicks salary) not solely because he believes he can win a championship there; but just because it’s really his call, and no one can override it.
If Jackson was posturing to get Melo off the Knicks by picking with him, he could be sabotaging his own plans and ruining the few trade prospects he could get, leaving the Knicks still top heavy and not able to build up a bench.
If I was Phil, I would be in Los Angeles enjoying the sun..but besides that, I’d leave well enough alone, and let the Knicks poor play depress Melo enough to want to leave. Instead; he’s helping turn Anthony into even more of a distraction to the future of the franchise…a really expensive one.