Why do now what you can put off until later?
That’s the mantra Phil Jackson and Carmelo Anthony are apparently parroting at this point. Though the two have held dialogues, they’ve yet to talk about the free-agent-to-be’s future with the New York Knicks.
Here’s what Jackson had to say on their contact, per ESPN New York’s Ohm Youngmisuk:
Jackson said he has had discussions with Anthony over the past two weeks and noticed Anthony feeling the bulk of the burden of the team’s topsy-turvy season.
“We’ve had a couple occasions to talk,” Jackson said at the team’s practice facility. “We haven’t really delved into the future as much as what’s gone on, getting to know each other type of thing. Trying to see how he’s feeling about playing.
“He’s had to carry a big load. It’s been a tough year for him. But it’s been a tough year for everyone. It’s not just isolated with him. But I think he feels the weight of it a lot more on himself.”
The pressure Anthony feels is completely natural, I would imagine. His Knicks had championship aspirations. They were playoff locks. Destined to follow up a 54-win 2012-13 campaign with something that was, at worst, comparable.
Instead of successfully defending their Atlantic Division crown, though, the Knicks are locked in a perilous battle for eighth place in the Western Conference with the Atlanta Hawks. Their late-season surge—12-3 over their last 15 games—has been admirable, but also serves as a remainder of what should have been.
Making the playoffs would likely be something of a cathartic experience for Anthony. Postseason basketball brings with it a clean slate, a chance to start anew. Much of Anthony’s current burden would likely be erased if the Knicks get the 0-0 start come playoff time. For how long he could, shall we say, relax is anyone’s guess.
Free agency looms big for the Knicks and Anthony, and Jackson, who is tasked with turning the Knicks from expensive laughingstock into legitimate title contender.
The Knicks’ first priority—really, one of their only priorities since they have very little cap space—is re-signing Anthony. Many people think he’ll leave New York and chase championships elsewhere, even if it means taking a pay cut. I’m not one of those people.
Me, personally? I wouldn’t blame him if he left. I get it. Change won’t be afoot in New York until 2015 at the earliest when the Knicks have cap space to burn. Anthony, who turns 30 in May, doesn’t want to wait that long, which is why the topic of his future (probably) hasn’t been approached.
It makes for sense for both parties to ride this playoff push out before discussing anything concrete. Jackson barely knows what he has to work with at this point. How the Knicks finish the season will also impact Anthony’s perception of the team and the franchise’s subsequent sales pitch to him. Selling him on a playoff team that maybe, just maybe, made some surprising noise is a helluva lot easier than showing him a team who just ended his streak of 10 straight playoff berths.
Broken-record style, we can’t know anything for sure. Anthony may not have made his decision yet and there’s still some regular-season basketball left to play. Still, I will say this: Don’t expect Anthony to leave.
Hope is alive in New York thanks to Jackson’s arrival and this playoff push. That will be enough to keep him in New York.
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.
