Phil Jackson admits Knicks will try to trade Carmelo Anthony

During Knicks president Phil Jackson’s exit press conference, the Zen Master suggested the team would be moving on from All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony this summer. Anthony holds a no-trade clause and would need to approve of any destination before leaving town.

“I think the direction with our team is that he would be better off somewhere else,” Jackson said according to ESPN’s Ian Begley, noting that he could have a chance to chase a championship ring.

He later said he had spoken to Anthony about how they could both move on, and that both the Knicks’ forward and the team could be better off by separating, according to Basketball Insiders’ Tommy Beer.

Jackson also said he told Anthony, “You don’t want to end up your career not winning,” according to Begley.

Anthony responded to Jackson’s press conference by posting a picture of Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie The Great Gatsby on Instagram.

Anthony’s teammate, Kristaps Porzingis, enjoyed Anthony’s response.

The Knicks have tailspun since Jackson took control as team president in 2013. In his three full seasons, New York is 80-166 as hasn’t made the playoffs. His tenure bottomed out with a franchise worst 17-65 record in the 2014-15 season.

Jackson had built a roster, scrapped it, and built it again, but Anthony remained the common denominator after Jackson signed him to a contract extension in 2014.

In his final season with the Knicks, Anthony averaged 22.4 points per game but often butted heads with Jackson, who wanted to implement the Triangle Offense he won 11 NBA championships with during his time coaching the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.

“We faced resistance from the top,” Jackson said, when asked why the famed offense hadn’t seen much success in New York, according to Beer.

Jackson and Anthony’s relationship reached rock bottom when the team president co-signed several scathing articles critical of Anthony’s ability to defend or share the basketball. Two of those stories were written by his close friend and former assistant coach, Charley Rosen.

Anthony said he considered waiving his no-trade clause around the NBA’s February trade deadline, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley. He admitted it was “hard to trust” management after Jackson publicly chided his star forward through social media.

“If somebody was talking bad about you indirectly at your job, what would you do? You would feel a certain way,” Anthony said, via ESPN. “You would want that person to come straightforward with you. And I feel the same way. I’m always open. I’m a very honest person.

“I know the business and I know the game and I know how it works. So if it’s something that you want to get across, a message that you want to get across, I’ve always been open.”

Anthony has two seasons remaining on his contract worth a combined $54.1 million. He has a 15 percent trade kicker that would raise the value of his final two years to over $60 million.

Jackson said the Knicks would like “a significant player in return” for any Anthony trade, according to Begley.

Jackson attempted to deal Anthony to the Los Angeles Clippers at the trade deadline for a package that did not include Chris Paul, Blake Griffin or DeAndre Jordan. He also reached out to the Cleveland Cavaliers about a trade for Kevin Love.

The trade market for Anthony is unclear.