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Phil Jackson, president of the Knicks made a plan to speak to Carmelo Anthony, longest-tenured and highest-paid player on the Knicks, regarding an article written by Charley Rosen, former Albany Patroons assistant coach and current blogger. This meeting hasn’t been quite as easy to come by as you’d think:
New York Knicks prez Phil Jackson plans to meet with disgruntled star forward Carmelo Anthony in the next few days, sources told ESPN.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 17, 2017
Melo has asked to have a conversation with Knicks brass twice since the critical Charley Rosen column. Word is that convo should happen soon
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 17, 2017
Twice? That’s a bit odd, given that Phil spends most of his time in New York these days, and that he works for the same team and Melo as all. It shouldn’t be that hard to secure a meeting. But Phil is weird like that.
Ramona Shelburne, it should be noted, works in Phil’s former (and still occasional) hometown of Los Angeles. So this is almost certainly coming from Phil’s people. Not only did she break this story, her sources caught wind of the actual Melo-Phil summit, which supposedly took place this afternoon:
Phil Jackson met with Carmelo Anthony today and asked him if he wanted to remain with the Knicks, sources told ESPN.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 17, 2017
One source described the meeting as far more contentious than previous sit downs between Jackson and Anthony.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 17, 2017
Melo has a no trade clause. So he'd need to waive that. No specific teams discussed. Everyone just processing now.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 17, 2017
The great Adrian Wojnarowski, whose reporting on this kind of stuff is usually definitive, reported that Melo simply reaffirmed his commitment to staying in New York:
Carmelo Anthony reaffirmed his desire to stay with Knicks in meeting with Phil Jackson today, league source tells @TheVertical.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) January 17, 2017
Melo/Jackson meeting was calm, business-like, a source told @TheVertical. Melo continues to have no interest in waiving his no-trade clause.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) January 17, 2017
So, in all likelihood, this entire ordeal boils down to the following exchange:
Phil: You want a trade?
Melo: Nah.
Well I’m glad we cleared that up.