Carmelo Anthony is ready to turn the New York Knicks around. The franchise star has stressed his commitment to the team, but he has no interest in another losing season. This year is a wash for the Knicks, but with salary cap space to spare, free agency will be where Phil Jackson makes his move. And Anthony is ready to recruit.
Last year, the Knicks failed to land a big name despite meetings with multiple players. Anthony does not want that to happen again. The Knicks could have upwards of $27.5 million in space to sign free agents, and they have the means to hand out a max contract. And with big names hitting the open market, Anthony is ready to put the hard sell on in order to improve the franchise.
"Put me at the head of the table, and let's go to work," Anthony said. "If we want this team to be better, if we want more pieces of this team, I don't have a choice but to go out there and do my job and try to get people to come."
One position that is a major need for the Knicks is the point guard spot. This year Jose Calderon, Jerian Grant and Langston Galloway have all tried their hand at the starting role and gotten nowhere. The Knicks need an elite point guard to pair with Anthony in the backcourt. One potential target is Rajon Rondo who is playing on a one-year deal with the Sacramento Kings. According to Anthony, Rondo would fit perfectly with the Knicks.
"I think Rondo - just me personally, I don't want to be tampering - but I've heard he said he wouldn't thrive in a system like this," Anthony said. "I think he'd be perfect in a system like this."
The issue for Anthony is that the feeling is not mutual. Rondo told the media that he is excited about free agency, but he does not believe the triangle offense is something he can succeed in. The Knicks run the offensive system because of Jackson. It requires a lot of ball movement, and Rondo does not seem sold on the idea. The question is whether he will toss those doubts aside if the Knicks come calling with a nice contract offer.
"Coach. And the style of play,'' Rondo said. "The biggest thing for me is the style of play. I don't want to go to a system where I don't really have the ball in my hands, and they have you standing in the corner shooting 3s. That's not my style of play yet."
The Knicks are also planning to chase Mike Conley to help at the point guard position. Brandon Jennings could be an option as well. Al Horford and Kevin Durant will also be on the Knicks' radar. The team and Anthony are determined to get at least one more established star on the roster. With the way this year is going, that might be hard.
