OK, this is starting to become childish.
New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony has been at the center of trade talks recently despite having a no-trade clause in his contract. And Knicks President Phil Jackson has adamantly been shopping the ringless, nine-time All-Star for potential suitors. The Knicks have reportedly reached out to the Cavaliers, Clippers and Celtics, according to CBS New York.
Before I continue, I must say this: I love Phil Jackson.
I think he is one of the greatest — scratch that, the greatest — basketball coach of all time, and I think his 13 NBA Championship rings will back me up on that statement.
There is no doubt in my mind that Jackson knows what he is doing, and I think Knicks fans would be wise to trust him.
That said, this three-way squabble between Jackson, Anthony and New York super-fan Spike Lee has to stop.
It’s been going on all season.
Earlier in the year, Jackson responded to a reporter’s question about whether Anthony could play in a triangle offense — a system Jackson ran to perfection in his runs with the Bulls and Lakers.
“We have a rule: If you hold a pass two seconds, you benefit the defense,” Jackson told CBS Sports. “So he has a little bit of a tendency to hold it for three, four, five seconds, and then everybody comes to a stop.”
Anthony bit back, saying that the Knicks “don’t need Phil Jackson’s ‘negativity,’” according to CBS Sports.
And on Tuesday, Jackson posted a tweet that called into question Anthony’s “will to win.”
I agree with Jackson’s sentiment.
Anthony has been in the league since 2003, when he was a high-profile star fresh off a national championship with Syracuse.
What has he done since then?
Nothing. Well, I guess he’s scored a bunch of points, but who cares about a player who said he equates basketball success with winning gold medals on a stacked U.S. team?
But at least one person has yet to give up on Melo.
Popular director of films you’ve probably never heard of (except for “He Got Game”) and arguably the Knicks’ most unshakable supporter, Spike Lee, believes it’s time for Jackson to move on.
“I’ll pack Phil’s bags for him,” Lee told Tencent-ESPN’s Steve Zeng.
Really?
This scenario sounds less like an argument between grown men and more like a vicious battle between angry high school cheerleaders.
Just do us a favor, New York. Cut it out already.
Ray Boone is a sports writer. His columns appear on Fridays. Contact him at rboone@alligator.org, and follow him on Twitter @rboone1994.
FILE - In this Jan. 11, 2017, file photo, New York Knicks' Carmelo Anthony looks on during a break in an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers in Philadelphia. Phil Jackson may be trying to trade Anthony because he's given up trying to change him. That seemed to be the conclusion when the Knicks president of basketball operations broke his Twitter silence with a tweet that was another dig at the star forward. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum, File)
