The New York Knicks are coming off of a rollercoaster of a season. After labeling themselves a superteam, the Knicks fell quite short of even making the playoffs. There has been Derrick Rose drama, Kristaps Porzingis drama, and Carmelo Anthony drama. Phil Jackson, the Knicks president, says he wants to see Anthony win in the last few years of his career, per Nick Friedell and Ian Begley of ESPN.
“We’d like him to have success,” Jackson said during a break in the action at the NBA draft combine. “The opportunity is narrowing. We’d just like him to have success somewhere. We’re not going to be there. Hopefully, we’ll be maybe a playoff team next year. It would be tough to consider us a possible champion.”
The New York Knicks finished the season with the fourth worst record in the Eastern Conference, with only the Orlando Magic, Brooklyn Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers behind them.
Carmelo Anthony posted 22.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from three.
There was a lot of speculation over whether or not the Knicks would trade Anthony at the trade deadline, and now there will be even more rumors of New York sending him to a contender. If the Knicks don’t send Carmelo anywhere, Phil Jackson will have to spend at least one more year with him, as he is owed over $26 million next year, and he has a player option worth almost $28 million for the following season.
It would not be a surprise to see the New York Knicks be without Carmelo Anthony next year. The only problem the team would have is finding a suitor for his contract. With Derrick Rose a free agent this summer, the Knicks could be looking at a completely new team next season.
