Bet you wish you had Carmelo Anthony’s connections.
In anticipation of acclimating himself and his game to Phil Jackson’s famed triangle offense, Anthony apparently reached out to former trianglers Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, who each won at least five championships playing within the system.
Their collective advice to him?
Be patient. Be very patient.
Melo elaborated during the New York Knicks’ first preseason game on MSG Network Wednesday night:
The one message that they keep telling me is ‘Just be patient. There’s gonna be times when you feel like you’re not a part of it. Just be patient, it’s gonna come to you.’
And I can see that now in practice. I find myself just being there going ‘OK, just be patient. It’s gonna come.’ And then before you know it, I’m within the offense.
So that’s what I’ve been more excited to embrace in it: the patient side of this offense…
Sounds like good advice.
Although people often tether Anthony and the Knicks’ success to 2015 and 2016 free agency, their climb back to respectability is tied to more than that. Personnel matters, but so, too, does process.
No matter who they sign, trade or draft, this is going to take time. The triangle cannot be implemented overnight, or even over the course of a few weeks. It takes months. It could take the entire season. Anthony, especially, has to adjust. He’s used to the offense running through him, yet the triangle isn’t built for any one scorer. It’s greatest strength is that it’s supposed to help everyone score. That demands Anthony defer more frequently and, therefore, be more patient in waiting for his own scoring opportunities while also waiting for the system to work its intended magic over his teammates.
And if the Knicks’ first preseason bout against the Boston Celtics was any indication, they have a ways to go.
The ball kept moving, and everyone, including Anthony, made conscious effort to make the unselfish play. But they seldom made the right play. Sometimes they were passing too much. Most of the time, they were just out of sync. Once players caught passes, they didn’t seem to understand the off-ball movements of their teammates. Passes were to sent to places players weren’t. Players were visibly rattled and confused by the positioning of their teammates. It was, in all its 28-turnover glory, offensive chaos.
Things aren’t suddenly going to get better, either. And once they do, the Knicks have to worry about roster turnover. Signing new players this summer when they have cap space means they have to start the process all over again. It might be slightly easier since guys like Melo will have a year of triangle basketball under their belt, but the Knicks are due for an organic overhaul. Not to mention that one year in the triangle isn’t much.
So yes, Kobe, Pippen and MJ were right: Anthony needs to be patient.
Not just with his individual role inside the Knicks’ system, but with the results said system is supposed to generate over time.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
