When the Knicks hired phil jackson as general manger, they were hoping to turn their franchise around and perhaps make the playoffs. In the 2016 season, the Knicks failed to come close to accomplishing that goal. Instead, the Knicks were left out of the playoffs, partially because of lackluster performances from star player Carmelo Anthony. Tensions boiled over today when Jackson suggested that the Knicks would be better off without Melo, which prompts the question: Which one do the Knicks truly need?
Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony joined the Knicks in the 2010 season and New York did make the playoffs but lost in the first round that year.
In the year after, the Knicks again made the playoffs but fell to the Heat as the seventh seed. In 2012, things got even better for Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks. The team won its first playoff series since 2000 against the Boston Celtics in the first round. Unfortunately, New York would lose in the next round to the Indiana Pacers.
Things got worse after 2013. Carmelo missed the playoffs for the first time with injuries. In 2014, Anthony missed the second half of the NBA season after getting surgery on his left knee. In the year following, the Knicks failed to make the playoffs and were rewarded with a top draft pick, which was spent on Kristaps Porzingis. In the 2016-2017 season, things really fell apart, as the Knicks missed the playoffs once again.
At 32 years old, Carmelo is no longer in his prime and isn't as capable of leading New York to victories. Still, he's one of New York's best players and should be viewed as a star in the NBA. But with Phil Jackson at the helm, Carmelo's time in New York might be at an end.
Phil Jackson.
Jackson is notable for helping both the Bulls and Lakers win championships, and he is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant minds in the NBA.
His time with the Knicks was not going to be an easy one, but it has been more tumultous than he probably predicted. Jackson joined the Knicks as an executive in March 2014. The team hasn't made the playoffs a single time in his tenure.
Phil Jackson stubbornly runs the "Triangle" offense, which is the system that helped him win championships in both Chicago and Los Angeles.
It hasn't worked in New York, where the pieces don't seem to mesh. Carmelo Anthony in particular doesn't seem interested in running any version of the offense. So far, the marriage between Anthony and Phil Jackson isn't working.
Knicks Future.
Carmelo Anthony and Phil Jackson could easily end up in the same spot even after these comments. Anthony has a no-trade clause in his contract, which would allow him to remain in New York even if Jackson doesn't want him there. Still, Knicks fans are already tired of watching their incompetent team and these comments suggest even more incompetency for the Knicks in the future.
