Be careful what you wish for, Carmelo Anthony. You just might get it.
Anthony reiterated his manifesto during last week’s Gillette Publicity Tour that he wants Knicks president Phil Jackson to interview more coaching candidates — not just stick with the status quo with triangle guru Kurt Rambis.
So Jackson and general manager Steve Mills met Monday with former Cavaliers coach David Blatt, whose icy relationship with Anthony’s buddy LeBron James led to Blatt’s January ouster in Cleveland. Would Anthony really prefer the Israeli coaching legend who faced a locker-room mutiny by James and friends J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert?
Blatt has told confidants he has a shot, though Rambis remains a front-runner. Luke Walton, Jackson’s preferred choice, is off the board. As expected, he took his dream job with the Lakers. Once the Lakers fired Byron Scott last week, Jackson knew the Knicks went from long shot to no shot.
Anthony’s insistence on seeking to help the coaching search seems counter-productive.
“If you don’t go through the process and you don’t at least look and see what’s out there, then we have a problem,’’ Anthony said on radio in another veiled threat.
It is more important Anthony is involved in July 1’s free agency, especially with his longstanding friendship with Kevin Durant, a fellow Maryland-area product. And even James.
The coaching situation should not be Anthony’s business. Anthony’s remarks to ESPN on Thursday that new Timberwolves hire Tom Thibodeau would have accepted a Knicks offer is borderline insubordinate and also untrue. Anthony knows Jackson didn’t see it as a fit on any level, didn’t pursue it. It’s best to drop the issue. The fellow CAA client struck it rich on a five-year, $40 million contract that gave him total control as president with no triangle orders. Jackson couldn’t match that.
To belabor wanting input and the need to interview more candidates (Mark Jackson?) is to send a clear message of his opposition to Rambis. Hence, if Rambis winds up with the job, it’s not a good look. As Anthony looks to recruit free agents, what’s his pitch? “Our head coach and 32-50 record are lackluster, but come to New York anyway?”
Anthony turns 32 on May 29. He needs to worry about his own stuff, getting the left knee stronger, becoming more explosive next season than he was this season. And becoming more clutch late in games. His late-game shooting statistics in tight contests has been atrocious the past three, non-playoff seasons.
In the past three years, Anthony has shot 8-of-47 in the final 30 seconds in which the score differential was three points or fewer. In the same period, he shot 23-of-75 in the final minute of games in which the score differential was five points or less.
Granted, Anthony, who has a heady grasp of the triangle, needs help in the backcourt to take pressure off him and to complement a solid trio of himself, Kristaps Porzingis and Robin Lopez.
“I don’t think there’s another frontcourt that’s better than that,’’ Anthony said. “You just have to put the right pieces around that … [We’re not] far away from taking that next step.’’
Maybe all this ends with Anthony traded to the Clippers for Blake Griffin after their first-round KO — the only place he would agree to waive his no-trade clause. But if Anthony truly wants to make this situation better, it’s best he clams up about coaches and lets Jackson do his job.