[d-ravParticipant]

 

Source: Anthony, at odds with D’Antoni, plots Knicks exit

Knicks Blog

Berman on Twitter

By MARC BERMAN

Last Updated: 4:51 AM, March 14, 2012

Posted: 12:58 AM, March 14, 2012

EXCLUSIVE

Carmelo Anthony’s discontent with the Knicks organization became so severe after Monday night’s loss to the Bulls, he told a confidant he preferred to be traded before Thursday’s trade deadline, The Post has learned.

According to a person familiar with his thinking, Anthony’s disillusionment stems most from a belief coach Mike D’Antoni and interim GM Glen Grunwald do not trust him. He is surprised that after all the Knicks gave up to trade for him, he has not been asked for more input on personnel decisions, as Deron Williams has with the Nets.

“The organization makes believe his opinions don’t matter,’’ the source said.

EPA

HEADED FOR SPLITSVILLE: Carmelo Anthony’s frustration with his Knicks’ bosses, including coach Mike D’Antoni, has reached a tipping point. He said Monday he wanted to be traded, according to a source.

However, Tuesday night, a source said Anthony and D’Antoni spoke in an attempt to reconcile their differences and made headway. On Monday night, Anthony only wanted to remain a Knick if he had assurances D’Antoni wouldn’t be back next season.

However, Anthony will not make a formal trade request.

As The Post reported Tuesday, Anthony was told after the Knicks were swept out of the playoffs by the Celtics last April that D’Antoni would not return for this season.

But now Anthony does not believe a decision on D’Antoni’s future is coming soon because D’Antoni and Grunwald, according to the source, are “like a couple.’’

Anthony was unavailable for comment Tuesday as the Knicks did not practice. It is against NBA rules to publicly state a desire to be traded.

According to the source, Grunwald has had just one conversation with Anthony since he became GM. And D’Antoni rarely talks to Anthony after games, especially since Anthony’s return from a groin injury. The Knicks have lost 8 of 10 games since then to fall to 18-24 and out of playoff position.

Anthony is not close to owner James Dolan the way Amar’e Stoudemire is. The source said Anthony gets along best with assistant GM Allan Houston, who eventually could succeed Grunwald.

“He knows Glen doesn’t like him,’’ the source said.

It would seem unlikely — and ill-advised — for the Knicks to pull off a trade for Anthony on such short notice before Thursday’s deadline.

Though Stoudemire lobbied for the Knicks to trade for Anthony, the pair’s friendship has not flourished.

“They’re not as close as people think they are,’’ the source said. “It’s an awkward relationship.’’

Anthony is not jealous of Jeremy Lin’s global fame, according to the source. Lin, the source said, is Anthony’s favorite teammate, and Anthony feels they could be like the Thunder duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook.

According to the source, when Nuggets general manager Masai Ujiri tried to convince Anthony to stay in Denver last season, he repeatedly told Anthony he never would be able to handle the New York media. But Anthony believes the media has been the least of his problems and wished there was more feedback from his superiors.

Anthony has endured a poor season, shooting just 40 percent from the field while averaging 21.3 points and has not played well recently on defense.

D’Antoni rarely speaks in the same reverential tones about Anthony as he does about Lin, Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

When D’Antoni was asked after Monday’s loss to the Bulls if Anthony looked frustrated, D’Antoni replied, “More than normal, you mean? I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.’’

Anthony appeared agitated on the court during the game and failed to join the huddle after the third quarter, though he said that is not uncommon. Though Anthony has expressed concern about his role in the offense, many play sets contain Anthony post-ups.

Anthony seemed extremely unhappy after the Knicks’ losing streak reached six games in Chicago.

“It [stinks],’’ Anthony said. “The situation we’re in right now [stinks]. Losing basketball games the way we’ve been losing games at the end of the game [stinks]. It’s not a good feeling right now.’’

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/knicks/source_anthony_at_odds_with_antoni_YjNqpRkBHjhTuavBXv5IhJ#ixzz1p5ijBAXi

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 Well there are a lot of basketball guys out there who don’t think Melo is all that good. But if the GM has had one conversation with their star player in a year, that GM is an idiot. That isn’t how you lead any organization. You don’t do that by ignoring your most important employees. 

What could you trade Melo for at this point anyway?

By the way, I think Melo is playing pretty well with JLin since Melo’s return. Melo has been moving better without the ball, he doesn’t seem to be demanding large numbers of shots, he is an important part of the offense, especially with that ability to get a decent shot off even with the shot clock winding down. So I don’t blame these losses on Melo.

[RafterParticipant]

I’ve seen how this ends, the coach gets fired. It’s always been like that, player power is too strong in sports nowadays.

[truwizfan4Participant]

Melo is overrated and is a cancer to any team. The Knicks where better off when Melo was injured. Lin had them on a huge winning streak until the so call "superstar" Carmelo came back and they sucked every sense.  

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

There are likely numerous systems and teams in which Melo could succeed. I strongly doubt, however, that a pairing with Amare is ever going to work given how weak they both are defensively. Don’t you have to, at this point, at least OFFER Melo and Chandler for Dwight and Hedo?  Dwight, Amare, Hedo, Fields/Shump/JR, and Linn seems a much better team than the current group.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 The main problem for the Knicks during this losing streak has been they are dealing with Baron Davis playing the rust off. The guy has been bad and was truely terrible for the first four or five games (he was shooting about 10% and averaging 3 TOs a game). Amare is also playing poorly and taking minutes from Jeffries and Novak who were big parts of the Linsanity run. 

Melo has just been Melo during this losing streak. Actually he has been pretty good Melo. He isn’t winning any games, but he isn’t losing them either. Davis will get the rust off and will start to perform. It is already happening. J.R. Smith will gell better. The Knicks will get better. They gave the Celts and the Bulls all they could handle. The Celts game could easily have been a win. Pierce had to go all Hall-of-Fame on the Knicks just to get it to overtime. 

[Future_Scout]

if this is true, and he keeps this up, he’s gonna end up outta the league or playing in the uero-league in 4-5 years 

[orangeshadow83Participant]

Anthony is still one of the top three scorers in the league and I really dont think he is a cancer to the team. He just doesn’t fit in well in New York for a number of reasons. He needs the ball in his hands to be most effective and he does not work in D’Antoni’s system. I never thought he and Amare would mesh well together. Anthony needs a PG that will get him the ball in the right places and I think Lin could be that PG but he is still learning how to play on an NBA level.

Personally I think they need to get rid of Amare, they will never get equal talent in return but putting him and Anthony on the same team will not win a championship. I don’t think they will win much with Amare as the lead man either, yea they were doing good with him before Melo came over but Amare just hasn’t looked like the same player even when Melo’s been out of the lineup. The Knicks need to get rid of D’Antoni first and bring in a coach who will get the most out of Anthony and make him play defense (like George Karl did at times). Then they need to trade Amare for "glue" pieces because with Anthony and Lin they don’t need another superstar they need players who will do the small things and make the hustle plays (Hansborough comes to mind). Not saying the Pacers should go after Amare just saying playes like Hansborough are they type of players that New York needs to surround Melo and Lin with.

If Lin improves consistently like I think he will, he a Melo could be a poor mans Durant and Westbrook. Chandler is a great defensive presence (who also doesn’t mesh well with Amare) so he is important to the future of this team. All I can tell from this season is that the Knicks need to make big changes but I dont think trading Carmelo should be one of them.

[CodySLCParticipant]

 Wow again. What a lame.

[A Lil EnglishParticipant]

 

I don’t believe he wants to move. The only quote other than from "a source" is that Melo is sick of losing – so he should be. What’s he gona do? Try and get his "own" team again? Every star needs support and he has that… in a big market, where he blatantly wanted to be.

 

He’s been with the Knicks for ONE trip to the playoffs. And that team has changed with the additions Lin, Chandler, Shumpert, Davis & Smith. Melo is smart enough to know it takes more than a year to assemble a great team and he should also know is going to take more than a few weeks to get chemistry and the team playing great together. Look at the heartache Dirk’s Mavs had to go through between 2006 & 2011. Not to mention the Heats frustrations last year.

 

He should stick it out and collectively work at it if he knows what’s good for him. There nearly a 3rd of a season left improve.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

With Melo in the line up. That’s a huge difference.

[tuck243Participant]

Melo to actually play defense like he did versus the Bulls…  The Bulls game was absolutly NOT his fault and he shouldn’t shoulder ANY of the blame…  Amare was hot and Melo hit a crucial 3 then Lin, Landry, Shump played hero ball for majority of the 4th and put the game out of reach…  Then you add Amare not rebounding or defending ESPECIALLY at the end of the game is the reason they lost… 

Why isn’t anyone blaming Amare for any of this??  I mean its just not Melo lack of defense…  Landry being lost on defense is even worse…  Amare look and watch for his defense… I mean why Amare get outta this scott free???  Even Dirk had to play some D and rebound in order to win…  Amare need to do that hands down…  Get Mikey  outta here so a coach with some defensive focus jump in here and force Amare to play D for the first time in his career…  Or at least rebound… My lawd…  I want people to understand the NYK NEED Melo even if they win without him now, in the playoffs they aren’t contenders…  Stop it…  I’m glad this is happening… Defense, defense, defense… Especially in the East…  You gotta play defense and rebound no way around it… 

[tuck243Participant]

What about with Amare in the line up???  Do you think he probably the problem as well???

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

I never liked this squad from the start two leaders who don’t defend. Amare sucks on D and athleticsm is fading fast. Dumb to pay him that.

[So raspyParticipant]

D’antoni deserves to be fired. The teams too talented to lose games like this. Part of his job is to get the players to play cohesively together. He’s clearly failed at this. Blaming it on Carmelo is a joke. He’s a proven elite player, and never had issues like his in Denver. If any player should be taking heat, it’s Amare, but its the team as a whole that isn’t rebounding or defending well. Bring the Zen Master in.

[So raspyParticipant]

D’antoni deserves to be fired. The teams too talented to lose games like this. Part of his job is to get the players to play cohesively together. He’s clearly failed at this. Blaming it on Carmelo is a joke. He’s a proven elite player, and never had issues like his in Denver. If any player should be taking heat, it’s Amare, but its the team as a whole that isn’t rebounding or defending well. Bring the Zen Master in.

[So raspyParticipant]

D’antoni deserves to be fired. The teams too talented to lose games like this. Part of his job is to get the players to play cohesively together. He’s clearly failed at this. Blaming it on Carmelo is a joke. He’s a proven elite player, and never had issues like his in Denver. If any player should be taking heat, it’s Amare, but its the team as a whole that isn’t rebounding or defending well. Bring the Zen Master in.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 Calling Melo one of the best three scorers in the league is a joke. The Heat alone have three guys who are scoring about the same number of points per game as Melo and all of them are doing it on much much higher shooting percentage. Durrant and Rose would proably find it laugable if someone thought that Melo scores better than them. Kevin Love might throw is 26 points per game on the table as well. Hell, Monta Ellis just got traded for a guy who won’t play the rest of the season and Ellis scores about as well as Melo. Melo is a high volume shooter and not a whole lot more than that this season. You can put him in the top ten in scoring if you want, but let’s not ignore what is happening this season. 

But I think it is too early to blow up this Knicks team. Let Amare either get in shape or reduce his minutes to 25 a game and tell him to play those minutes a lot harder with a lot more effort on D. Let Davis get rust off and actually bring his level of play up to NBA standards. I’m becoming more convinced watching him play that he is ready to be a pass first point guard. He knows he just doesn’t have the legs to carry an offensive load. 

[pointgod80Participant]

 shoulda kept gallinari,chandler,felton

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