Phil Jackson says he advised Carmelo Anthony not to opt-out of his contract this summer and instead wait until next summer to give the Knicks the salary flexibility to add two headline players, according to Frank Isola of the NY Daily News.
Phil Jackson advised Carmelo Anthony not to opt out of contract, per report
The Zen Master is working to keep ‘Melo through next season.
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Jackson said that Anthony said he would “think about it,” even though Anthony has repeatedly said that he will opt-out of his current contract to test his value in free agency. If Anthony chooses to test the free market, his skills will be highly valued by several teams.
“I’m not losing sleep over it but I’m definitely concerned about the idea of a guy going into free agency,” Jackson added. “It only takes one bidder out there that has the ability and can ruin your hopes and your chances.”
If Anthony opts-in to his current contract, it will give the Knicks a clean sheet next summer, when Tyson Chandler, Amar'e Stoudemire and Andrea Bargnani all come off the books. They then can hope to re-sign Anthony as well as other marquee free agents.
Despite New York’s disappointing 2013-14 campaign, Anthony put together a very good season: He averaged 27.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists on 45 percent shooting. The Knicks’ future is directly connected to how they manage Anthony’s pending free agency, which is why Jackson is seemingly so concerned with keeping the star forward.
See More:
