New York Knicks: Can Carmelo Anthony win a title in New York?
By Nick Ziegler
The offseason has started for the New York Knicks, and their star, Carmelo Anthony, has made it known what he expects from this offseason.
It has been a rough few seasons for Anthony and the Knicks, as losing has become the norm in recent years. With a need for a new head coach and cap space again this offseason, Anthony wants the Knicks to have a win-now mindset.
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He wants the club to “take advantage of this window that I have” when making personnel moves this offseason.
“I think that’s the main question,” Anthony said to Ian Begley of ESPN.com. “How can we take advantage of this window? How can we take advantage of this situation that we have in front of us?”
Arguably the biggest concern for the Knicks this season is who will be the head coach next season. Jackson has made it known that he would like Kurt Rambis back next season, but he seems to be the only person in New York that wants him as the head coach.
“People I probably know will be in the interview process,” Jackson said to Begley. “I will reach out to make connections to some people. But I’ve been in this position, in the NBA, over 50 years. And I’ve seen a lot of situations where coaches end up coming in without [being] simpatico with the general manager, and those things don’t work well. So someone who has compatibility with what I do as a leader would have to be in sync with what we do.”
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In regards to signing top free agents, the triangle offense might be something that could hold the Knicks back in recruiting, as Anthony thinks that it’s a fine line between that and things that they are used too.
“I don’t think guys want to kind of be re-educated on, kind of, the system and how to play the game of basketball and be in a position that they might not be comfortable and confident in,” he said to Begley. “So I think it’s a fine line between going after guys who you feel can actually fit in the system and going after guys who can just play basketball and know how to play the game of basketball.”
Heading into next season, the expectations aren’t set yet for the Knicks, but depending on how free agency goes, they will likely have to make the playoffs as a goal.
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“What is successful for us as the New York Knicks?” he said to Begley. “I think that is kind of the question that we have to ask ourselves as a whole organization. … Getting back and being in the postseason, that’s success for me. And not just sliding in and barely getting into the eighth seed. That is not success for me. Being in there, having some type of prominence, having a chance to compete to the next round and move further, that is success for me.”
With the Knicks still not being close to a title, the possibility of Anthony looking to win elsewhere is there, but he wants to accomplish those things in New York.
“As of right now, I’ll be here,” he said Begley. “No conversation has taken place as far as me leaving or me wanting to leave. I think everybody knows how I feel about being here with this organization in New York, playing for the Knicks. I think nobody should question that.”
He added to Begley: “The only thing I think about is winning more. Whether it’s here or somewhere else, that’s the only thing I think about. I haven’t thought about putting myself on another team. I haven’t thought about me on another team. I haven’t thought about any of that. My thought process is: How can I make this situation better? What can we do to make this situation better? That’s the only thing I’m thinking about.”
The Knicks have made progress in their rebuild since Jackson took over, but a rebuilding process can take time. Anthony knows that at 31-years-old, time isn’t his friend anymore, and the quest for a ring will only get more difficult.
“For me, I kind of see it differently,” he said Begley. “Yes, we’ve made progress. We still haven’t made progress enough to get to the postseason, to get to the playoffs. For my first 10 years in this league, I played in the postseason, I played playoff basketball. So to not experience that over the past three seasons, it makes you question a lot. It makes you think a lot. … My only thing, my only motive, is to win.”
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This offseason will be a crucial one for the direction of the Knicks moving forward, as we will see if Jackson thinks that the team is close enough to compete now and go all-in on this free agency, or possibly wait until next season when a player like Kristaps Porzingis has another season under his belt. For Anthony, he may love New York and want to win an NBA title here, but that may not be realistic as soon as he wants it to be.