All-Star Carmelo Anthony is already set on leaving the New York Knicks despite the team’s plan to convince him to stay and play under new general manager Scott Perry. A source told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Anthony has committed to leaving and his mind is already set on playing with the Houston Rockets.
The Knicks were hoping that Anthony would change his mind and stay with the team now that former president Phil Jackson is gone. Jackson planned on trading Anthony this offseason but the Knicks failed to find a willing partner that will accept the All-Star’s huge contract.
Jackson also looked into the possibility of buying out Anthony’s contract but he was fired by the Knicks.
The Knicks temporarily halted their negotiations with the Rockets about a possible trade for Anthony after hiring Perry, the former vice president of basketball operations of the Sacramento Kings. Perry was still with the Kings when the Knicks asked permission to interview him for the post, which Sacramento allowed. The Knicks will send a second-round pick and cash to the Kings as compensation for taking away Perry.
Rockets arranged four-team trade for Anthony
Recently, the Rockets took in two more squads in their negotiations with the Knicks, making it a four-team deal. The Rockets have no tradable pieces so they need the assistance of two more teams to accommodate the contract of Ryan Anderson, who has three years and $61 million remaining in his deal with Houston.
The New York Daily News reported that an executive of one of the four teams involved in the deal said that all sides, including Anthony, are frustrated over reports that Knicks president Steve Mills is having second thoughts about pursuing the deal.The executive said Carmelo is under the belief that he will go to the Rockets and play with Chris Paul and James Harden.
Knicks sign Perry to five-year deal
According to ESPN, the Knicks signed Scott Perry to a five-year deal to become their general manager. Perry will report directly to Mills, whom the Knicks plan to sign to a long-term deal as president. According to their setup, Mills will be the ultimate authority in the front office but Perry will be given freedom to operate as he chooses and will act as day-to-day voice running the basketball side.
The Knicks earlier tried to hire former Cleveland Cavaliers David Griffin as general manager but the two sides failed to agree on his role with the team. The Knicks also denied Griffin’s request to bring his own front office team to Madison Square Garden.
