New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony reportedly would be open to being coached by Mark Jackson next season. While Anthony reportedly is willing to play for Jackson, he isn't against playing for another coach, such as Derek Fisher.
Anthony is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent on July 1. He isn't a lock to re-sign with New York, and who the Knicks hire as their next head coach will likely be a determining factor of if he stays in the Big Apple.
Jackson, the former Golden State Warriors coach, could become a target for the Knicks. If New York did hire Jackson, who's currently a broadcaster for ESPN, Anthony reportedly wouldn't be disappointed.
"One source familiar with Anthony's thinking on the matter said recently that the star forward would 'embrace' the opportunity to play for Mark Jackson," ESPN's Ian Begley wrote on Thursday. "In no way, the source stressed, does that mean Anthony wants to play only for Mark Jackson. It also doesn't mean he would be uncomfortable playing for Fisher or any other candidate Jackson chooses to hire.
"But he would be content with the idea of playing for Jackson, who led Golden State to back-to-back playoff appearances."
After Golden State hired Steve Kerr, Oklahoma City Thunder veteran Derek Fisher, who's expected to retire after the season, became the purported top choice of the Knicks.
Knicks president Phil Jackson is believed to want a young coach who's familiar with the triangle offense, according to ESPN, and he acknowledged Fisher is on his list of coaching candidates.
"(Fisher is) a person that's on my list of guys that could be very good candidates for this job," Phil Jackson said Friday, via ESPN.
Phil Jackson acknowledged he had interviewed several other candidates and dismissed the idea of himself coaching the team, saying he's physically unable.
