Carmelo Anthony Says Phil Jackson Was Prepared to Trade Him for a 'Bag of Chips'

Carmelo Anthony has been given a new lease on life after being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but the 10-time All-Star is still not happy with the New York Knicks for how his time with the franchise came to an end. 

In an interview with Marc Stein of the New York Times, Anthony feels it took so long for the Knicks to find a trade for him because Phil Jackson wanted to trade him "for a bag of chips," but Jackson's replacement, Scott Perry, was "asking for steak."

"When I signed back with the Knicks [in 2014], I wanted to be in New York and I believed in Phil," Anthony added. "Then last year it went to: I was being pushed out. There were things being said about me that I didn't know where they were coming from."

Anthony also noted that he and Jackson spoke "maybe twice" all of last season. 

After the Knicks finished a 31-51 season in 2016-17, Jackson told reporters Anthony might be helped playing on a different team. 

"We have not been able to win with him on the court at this time and I think the direction with our team is that he is a player that would be better off somewhere else and using his talent somewhere he can win or chase that championship," Jackson said. 

Jackson, who was hired as team president in March 2014, and the Knicks parted ways in June. Perry took over as general manager and negotiated the trade with the Thunder that sent Anthony to Oklahoma City on Sept. 25. 

Anthony joins a Thunder organization that made the playoffs last season with reigning NBA MVP Russell Westbrook. They also added Paul George in a trade with the Indiana Pacers during the offseason to boost their chances in the Western Conference against the Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets. 

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