New York Knicks’ Carmelo Anthony (7) argues a call with referee Dan Crawford during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, in New York. The Trail Blazers won the game 94-90. AP
NEW YORK, United States — New York Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek says he’s willing to “look at everything” in a bid to find a winning formula, but Knicks watchers were looking beyond lineup changes Tuesday in a bid to parse the future of the NBA franchise.
A meeting between veteran star Carmelo Anthony and team president Phil Jackson was described variously in US media reports as “contentious” and “calm and business-like” with the New York Daily News reporting that Anthony told Jackson he wants to stay in New York.
Speculation that Jackson wanted Anthony out were fueled by an internet column by Charley Rosen, a former assistant coach and confidant of Jackson, who wrote that Anthony’s “legs are going, going, almost gone”.
“The only sure thing is that Carmelo Anthony has outlived his usefulness in New York,” Rosen opined.
READ: NBA: Ex-Nuggets coach George Karl lambasts Carmelo Anthony in new book
On Monday, Anthony said he wasn’t interested in waiving his no-trade clause, and that he’d proven his loyalty to the organization.
“I don’t think I have to speak on that,” he told ESPN.com. “I think I’ve proven that over the years, day in and day out.”
Anthony’s comments came after the Knicks dropped a heartbreaker at Madison Square Garden, falling 108-107 to the Atlanta Hawks. It was the Knicks’ 11th defeat in their last 13 games.
Hornacek, who shook up his starting lineup to include rookies Ron Baker and Mindaugas Kuzminskas, said Tuesday he’d look at more changes as he searches for a winning formula.
He said Anthony, who has started at power forward for the past three games as Kristaps Porzingis battles a sore Achilles tendon, could stay there when Porzingis returns, with the Lithuanian starting at center and France’s Joakim Noah coming off the bench.
“We’ve got to look at everything,” Hornacek said. “In the long run, we’ve got to look at hey, when KP comes back, will it change everything altogether and what it will do?
“Sometimes it’s a chance you have to take, but we continue to look over that. We just need to mix it up maybe a little more.” CBB