Carmelo Anthony Responds to Phil Jackson's Critique of Knicks' Play

Earlier in April, New York Knicks president Phil Jackson said of the team and its superstar, Carmelo Anthony, "Some of our best games we played were when Carmelo didn't play and we didn't win but we had great games," per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.

On Thursday, Anthony responded to those cryptic comments in an interview on SI Now, via SI NBA:

"I really don't know how to take that quote," Anthony said. "I try not to insinuate anything when I hear that quote. The only person who knows what he is really talking about is Phil."

What it seemed Jackson was hinting at, however, is that the Knicks are better off without Anthony going forward. When he was asked after making those initial comments if he planned on continuing to build around his star forward, Jackson avoided a direct answer.

"You know, the thing about Carmelo is we came here and had a discussion, it is all about communication and the fact that he wants to stay here," Jackson said, per Bondy. "Those are two things that are real important to him."

Anthony, on the other hand, still believes his future is in New York and talked to Jackson about his place in the team's future plans.

"I really sat down and looked him in the eye man-to-man, and he told me that," Anthony told SI Now's Maggie Gray (via Sports Illustrated). "That's the only thing I can go off of, another man sitting in front of me and telling what he feels, what he likes, what's his plan. That's the only thing I can really go off of."

Anthony, 31, was productive for the Knicks in 2015-16, averaging 21.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

At some point, however, the Knicks will begin building around rookie star Kristaps Porzingis, and an argument could be made that keeping Anthony in New York—where he will always be the center of the offense—will delay that rebuilding effort, much as it was suggested that Kobe Bryant stymied the development of 2015 first-round pick D'Angelo Russell with the Los Angeles Lakers this season.

On the other hand, the Knicks do not have a first-round pick in this year's draft, so quickly retooling around Anthony and Porzingis through free agency may be the team's best bet. If the team ever does move on from Anthony, it will likely be to trade him for a glut of draft picks and young assets.

While that seems unlikely given Anthony's attachment to the organization, Jackson's cryptic comments appear to be keeping an eventual divorce from Anthony at least within the realm of possibility.

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