Kevin Love: Phil Jackson makes Knicks ‘very intriguing’

Phil Jackson is feeling the Love.

Kevin Love, a potential free agent in 2015, finally put the Knicks in his crosshairs, praising the franchise because it now has Jackson as its leader.

Love has told the Timberwolves he won’t sign a contract extension, and reports stated the Wolves would look at trading him so they don’t lose him for nothing. The Wolves denied they would trade Love, but the Knicks have been bracing for the possibility they may have to deal for Love before 2015 free agency.

Love has been linked to several teams, including the Lakers, Warriors, Bulls, Celtics and Cavaliers.

“I think anytime you have Phil Jackson involved with any organization, you’re going to definitely look at it,” Love said Thursday on “SportsNation” on ESPN. “And you know it’s very intriguing. The Knicks are a place where I think anybody would like to go.”

Love seemed to suggest without Jackson’s presence, he would have no interest in placing the Knicks on his wish list.

“You mention LeBron James, he’s the best player in the world, another max contract guy, a guy that has won two and working on his third straight championship,” said Love, who was teammates with Carmelo Anthony on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. “So, yeah, anytime Phil Jackson is involved in different talks in an organization, you have to give it a second look.”

During his visit to the Garden in November, the burly power forward said he “loves” New York.

Incredibly, Love never has made the playoffs with the Wolves, saying “that burns me and hurts my heart.”

What hurts the Knicks is they are low on trade chips if there is a Love Sweepstakes as expected. They can’t deal a first-round draft pick until 2018. Center Tyson Chandler, who has an expiring contract, is their most solid trade chip, and Iman Shumpert has value. The organization is not sold on trading Tim Hardaway Jr., who was fourth in the Rookie of the Year voting.

By Marc Berman

 

Fisher interview: Knicks can win title with Melo

New Knicks coach Derek Fisher thinks Carmelo Anthony can thrive in the triangle offense. He also believes the Knicks can build an NBA title-winner around Anthony.

"In my humble opinion, yes," Fisher said on ESPN 98.7 FM’s "The Michael Kay Show" when asked if Anthony can succeed in Phil Jackson’s triangle offense. "I believe Carmelo can and will thrive in the triangle system. He's actually the prototypical triangle player because of his versatility, we can use him in all five positions on the floor. That's the beauty of the system -- being able to put players around on different spots on the floor.

“I believe [Anthony] can be great, and that's why I believe we can be great right away. Because we have that guy that we can anchor that system around to make the game easier for him but also allow for all of our team to be impactful and to give us something every single night."

 

But the Knicks coach is certain that Anthony is a championship-caliber player. Anthony is often criticized as a player who can’t win at the highest levels when he is the No. 1 option on a team. He has made it out of the first round of the playoffs just twice in his 11 seasons in the NBA. Fisher isn’t sure if Anthony will be back with the Knicks next season. Anthony is expected to test free agency this summer.


"Yes he can," Fisher told Kay and co-host Don La Greca when asked if Anthony can lead a team to an NBA title. “He actually has done it before at the collegiate level. He hasn't done it at the pro level yet ... but I do honestly believe that he is capable of being the leader of a championship team. He's had USA Basketball experience; he's won a gold medal. He knows what it takes to win.

"But this is basketball. It's a team game. So we have the responsibility, if Carmelo chooses to continue to be with the New York Knicks, we have a responsibility to do everything in our power with him -- but also next to him and around him -- to allow this team to be as successful as it possibly can be. It does not all ride on Carmelo Anthony. It can't be just him night in and night out. We have to make the game easier for him and easier for everybody on our team to be effective and help us win games."

Anthony can sign a $129 million max contract with the Knicks. He can sign a $96 million max contract with another team. ESPN.com reported that the Miami Heat may make a run at Anthony in free agency. Anthony would have to take a significant pay cut to join the Heat.

Fisher reiterated in his interview with Kay and La Greca that he hopes Anthony returns to the Knicks.

"I want to be extremely clear that I would love to have the opportunity to work [with] and coach Carmelo Anthony," Fisher said. "I want him to be back with the New York Knicks and to remain a part of what we're trying to do here and what we will do. So I don't think anyone has expressed a lukewarm feeling about wanting him back. I think we're all trying to be respectful as people. Carmelo is a great person. He's a family guy and they have decisions that are sometimes independent of what is best for everybody else. So you respect that process.

"So I would think [team president] Phil [Jackson], Steve Mills, myself, we're trying hard not to turn this into a 'Carmelo please stay' type of process. At the same time, we have no problem expressing that we do want him as part of this team. We feel we can win a championship with him as our core and centerpiece.”


By Ian Begley

Rafik Dimian

Carmelo Anthony to the Heat? Possible, but not plausible

When teams around the league were creating the necessary cap room to poach a single superstar in 2010, Heat team president Pat Riley cleared the decks so that he could sign three. It’s under that context that the latest reports of Miami’s free agent interests make a great deal of sense. Not yet satisfied with having three stars (including the best player in basketball), Riley and the Heat are reportedly investigating the possibility of pursuing a fourth in free agency this summer: Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, per Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

Sources told ESPN.com that Heat officials and the team’s leading players have already started to explore their options for creating sufficient financial flexibility to make an ambitious run at adding New York Knicks scoring machine Carmelo Anthony this summer in free agency.

The mere concept would require the star trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to all opt out of their current contracts by the end of the month and likely take further salary reductions in new deals that start next season to give Miami the ability to offer Anthony a representative first-year salary. The Heat also are prevented from making any formal contact with Anthony until July 1 and can do so then only if he opts out of the final year of his current contract. Anthony has until June 23 to notify the Knicks of his intentions, according to sources.

Anthony, who could become an unrestricted free agent if he chooses to exercise his early termination option, could in theory be an addition to the three-star core the Heat already have in place. The salary cap math of such a signing, though, only checks out if James, Wade and Bosh all opt out of their own deals as well. Each of those three is slated to make $20+ million in 2014-15, which — when supplemented by Norris Cole’s $2 million guaranteed salary — is enough to put Miami over the projected salary cap ($63.2 million). A mutual opt-out between all three stars would clear the Heat’s cap almost entirely; Cole would be on the books along with player options for Udonis Haslem ($4.6 million) and Chris Andersen ($1.5 million), leaving room for James, Wade, Bosh and Anthony to all sign on new deals.

By Rob Mahoney

Phil Jackson May Hold Knicks' Strings, but Derek Fisher Not His Puppet Coach

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — The greatest coach in NBA history took another stroll on the practice court recently, to supervise a workout of college prospects and, in part, to scratch a minor itch.

"I've kind of gotten through a little coaching jag that I've had," Phil Jackson, grinning widely, said Tuesday. "And I realize that it's not my role to be on the court."

Any illusions that Jackson, at age 68, would coach again should be shattered by now, with Jackson firmly entrenched as president of the New York Knicks, and with his hand-selected protégé, Derek Fisher, now installed as head coach.

There was never much of a chance that Jackson would pick himself for the job, although physically he is feeling better than he has in many years. You can also dismiss the theory—floated often, and without much basis—that Jackson will be the Knicks' shadow coach, a puppeteer working through Fisher.

"This is where a young man steps in and has the energy to lead the team forward," Jackson said at Fisher's introductory press conference. "But I'm very willing to share what I have."

The precise details of the Jackson-Fisher apprenticeship have yet to be worked out, but there is so much history and trust between them—nine seasons together, and five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers—that it's hard to imagine Jackson would do anything to overshadow his charge.

As a longtime Jackson associate put it, Jackson "will be involved" as a mentor and sounding board, but "not in any way that would subvert the coach."

Jackson might confer with Fisher before and after practice, but he will not likely be seen on the practice court himself. To do so would undermine his prized pupil, the first head coach he's ever hired. And it was abundantly clear Tuesday how eager Jackson is to see Fisher succeed.

This was not the typical introductory press conference. It was more like a coming-of-age ceremony, in which Fisher entered NBA adulthood (coaching) and Jackson played the role of the proud father, beaming from the edge of the stage while Fisher spoke.

By Howard Beck

How would Carmelo Anthony fit in Miami?

What's your reaction to the news that the Heat are targeting Melo?

Amin Elhassan, ESPN Insider: Shock. Disbelief. Curiosity. Can Pat Riley pull this off again? Would this unequivocally make him the greatest general manager since Red Auerbach? And could it work?

Tom Haberstroh, ESPN.com: I'll believe it when I see it. Not that I don't think they're targeting him. It's Carmelo Anthony, after all. But color me a skeptic. The massive pay cuts sound all well and good now, but walking the walk is a different story when eight-figure amounts are on the line.

Ethan Sherwood Strauss, ESPN.com: I'm intrigued, but with some reservations. The Heat are already doing well on offense -- their main problems are on the other side of the ball. They would probably be more potent offensively with Anthony, but his presence wouldn't address what ails them right now: lack of good point guard play and lack of a rim protector.

David Thorpe, ESPN Insider: Mixed. I think there are better "fits," but if he can indeed be as tight a friend and teammate as the others are to each other in Miami, it makes sense. Trust can be a hard thing for players to develop, so perhaps they are already a long way toward that kind of trusting relationship with Melo.

Brian Windhorst, ESPN.com: I suspended disbelief with the Heat in 2010. I saw the potential for the Big 3 that year and disregarded it as a possibility. That was a mistake; I'll never underestimate the Heat again.

#Heat coach Erik Spoelstra speaks after #NBA Finals Game 3 loss

Kawhi Leonard dazzles as Spurs regain home court VIDEO

The San Antonio Spurs had a historic first half shooting 75.8% from the field in tonight's Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Kawhi Leonard played like the budding superstar he is on 6-7 for 18 points including 3-4 on 3 pointers in the half.

Danny green contributed 13 points on 6-6 shooting helping to propel San Antonio to the largest halftime lead (21 pts. 71-50) in a finals game by a road team since 1996.



San Antonio also really took care of the ball with just 5 turnovers to Miami's 10 in the first 24 minutes.

In the third quarter Miami responded in a big way outscoring the Spurs 25 to 15 to cut the lead to 11 entering the final quarter.

Nonetheless, San Antonio and Kawhi Leonard who finished with a career high 29 had an answer for whatever Miami threw at them in the fourth going on to a dominant 111-92 win.

LeBron James 'interested' in playing with Carmelo Anthony

According to two people with knowledge of the situation, Anthony's part in this fluid free agency situation is worth monitoring as James is known to be interested in eventually playing with his close friend. Anthony also has a player option on his deal for next season (worth $23.5 million), and his connection to James has teams like the Lakers, Knicks and even the Heat wondering whether he may be able to join the four-time NBA MVP. The people requested anonymity because of sensitive nature of free agency talk.

If Paul George wants to be elite, he must show it consistently

After the final horn had mercifully ended Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, when the Miami Heat finally was done destroying the Indiana Pacers in a 25-point, series-clinching win, ESPN analyst and former Pacer Jalen Rose offered some thought-provoking comments on Pacers forward Paul George.
Rose labeled George — repeatedly and without hesitation — "a top-10 player."
Maybe you didn't bat an eye. Maybe you were in total, unwavering agreement.
The statement seemed about right after watching George shred the Heat for 37 points in Game 5, especially in light of George's 21-point fourth-quarter eruption.
There's just one problem.

In too many games during the playoffs, that statement seemed inapplicable. Some nights, you might have called it preposterous.
Harsh? Maybe. But know this: It's an unassailable truth.

For every game during which George causes us to marvel at his brilliance, there seemingly is another night when we wonder what we were thinking.
But if the Pacers are ever going to unseat the Miami Heat as Eastern Conference champs — assuming LeBron stays out of foul trouble and downs a sufficient amount of Gatorade — it will require George performing at a transcendent, superstar level.
Yes, it's true the Pacers aren't even in the championship hunt without George. But saying George is a great player while adding that he must do more is not mutually exclusive.

The main quibble: Wouldn't be nice if Paul's level of play and production were a little more predictable? Part of the reason that 37-point night was so stunning is because earlier in the Miami series, George was kind of invisible. In Games 2 and 3, he combined to shoot 9-for-29.

Look back earlier in the playoffs. George's stellar 30-point performance in Game 7 versus Atlanta in Round 1 was followed by his worst shooting performance of the postseason — a 4-for-17 dud in a Game 1 loss to Washington in the conference semis.
Let's be clear. George is a magnificent player. He's got an exemplary attitude, one of humility. He plays a relentless brand of defense. Oh, and he just turned 24 last month.
There's so much to love.

But George's timing stinks. He came along while King James is still ruling. Like Frank Vogel said, LeBron is the Michael Jordan of this generation. Which, I guess, makes the Pacers the New York Knicks of the 1990s.

And unlike in Miami, there will be no "Big Three" in Indiana. Not with the Pacers' small-market status and reluctance to pay the NBA's punitive luxury tax. They can re-sign Stephenson and make a move here and there, but the core of this team is what it is.

Given this reality, the Pacers are going to need more from George to get over this massive hump. And by more, I mean more efficiency, more aggressiveness, more determination, more consistency.
In a word, more greatness.
And you don't have to take my word for it.

"In this league everybody's a star. ... But when you start separating the men from the boys, you have to be playing at a high level all the time," Pacers president Larry Bird said. "You look at (Kevin) Durant and you look at LeBron, they're great, superstar players. But there's only a handful of superstars. The rest of them are just stars.
"Do I think Paul George can get there? He's got to be more consistent. ... In Game 5, in the second half, he was spectacular. But I'd like to see more of that. But he's a valuable player and he's our future and I hope he can get us there."

The Pacers go as George goes. They will go as far as he can take them.

Stephen Holder

Donald Sterling attorney: The NBA is 'a band of hypocrites' out to sell the Clippers

As Donald Sterling is fighting back against the NBA for banning him for life and imposing a fine, the embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner released a statement to NBC News saying "the team is not for sale."

"The NBA's focus is the sale of the team. That's all they're talking about," said Bobby Samini, Sterling's attorney, in an exclusive interview with Matt Lauer Tuesday on TODAY. His client, Samini said, is being "singled out" by "a band of hypocrites."
It's a surprising reversal for Sterling, who, along with his wife, had previously indicated they would accept a $2 billion sale of the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
Samini said Sterling didn't think the lifetime ban would stand if he agreed to the sale.
“I’m not going to go into the particulars of the discussions, but that clearly wasn't the understanding,” Samini said. “Of course Adam Silver has come out now and made it clear that he’s not going to back off.”
"I think there was a time to have a discussion," Samini said Tuesday. "There was a time to try and have a resolution to this matter, but again, (NBA commissioner) Adam Silver has made it clear that he's going to go forward. They want to get this team sold. That's all they care about."
In the statement Monday, Sterling apologized and lashed out at the NBA and Silver, who imposed the lifetime ban after racist comments Sterling made that were recorded by his former companion V. Stiviano.
Samini insisted his client's mental state is sound, saying "there is no issue as to his mental capacity," and that any suggestion otherwise amounts to "very good legal tactics."

By Kerry Wills

NBA Finals odds report – Heat now series favorite

The Heat opened as 4-point favorites at the LVH SuperBook for Game 3 of the NBA Finals, as the series shifts to Miami tied at a game apiece. The opening total is 198.

With the Heat wresting home-court advantage away from the Spurs with Sunday night’s win in San Antonio, they’re now the favorite to win the series, listed at -150 at the LVH. The Spurs are offered at +130.

The South Point opened wagering on Game 3 on Saturday evening, according to Vegas Insider, hanging Heat -4.5 as its opening number. When the book reopened the game Monday morning, Heat -4 was its line. William Hill opened Game 3 at -4, but moved to -4.5 about 15 minutes later.

Check current Game 3 point spreads and totals from around Las Vegas on our live odds page.

It’ll be difficult for trends-based handicappers to go against the Heat. Miami is 8-0 SU and 6-2 ATS at home this postseason.

The Spurs are 3-5 SU and 2-6 ATS on the road in the playoffs. The only times they’ve been a dog this postseason, though, were the three games in Oklahoma City, where they went 1-2 SU and ATS.

San Antonio was 5-5 ATS as a dog this regular season, one of those losses coming in Miami, when the Heat covered as 3.5-point favorites in the 113-101 win. Kawhi Leonard, who is often assigned to defending LeBron James, did not play in that game.

In last year’s Finals, the Heat went 3-1 SU and 2-2 at home against the Spurs. They were asked to lay bigger numbers in that series than the opening number for Tuesday’s tilt, as the point spreads ranged from -5 to -6.5.

By: Marcus DiNitto   

Derek Fisher agrees to $25 million deal to coach Knicks

@DerekFIsher  has agreed to a five-year, $25 million deal to become coach of the New York Knicks, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

After Knicks president Phil Jackson lost his top coaching candidate, Steve Kerr, to the Golden State Warriors, Fisher became Jackson’s primary target and the 18-year NBA veteran will retire to take the job.

Fisher, 39, had been seeking the same five-year commitment the Knicks had given Jackson to be president, sources told Yahoo Sports.

Fisher’s deal matches the five-year, $25 million agreement Kerr reached with Golden State, but is less of a commitment than what New York initially

offered Kerr to become its coach.

Fisher’s coaching staff is expected to include Bill Cartwright and Kurt Rambis, sources told Yahoo Sports. All share longtime coaching or playing experience with Jackson, and Fisher plans to run Jackson's famed triangle offense with the Knicks.

The Knicks' support system, centered on Jackson's mentorship role, is one of the most attractive features of the job to Fisher.

Fisher played parts of 13 seasons with the Lakers, winning five championships under Jackson.

By Adrian Wojnarowski

NBA commissioner : Donald Sterling saga not over yet

(CNN) -- Nearly two weeks after former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer offered the winning bid to buy the Los Angeles Clippers from embattled owner Donald Sterling, the man who hastened Sterling's departure isn't ready to call it a done deal.

"When it's done, then we can take a deep breath," NBA commissioner Adam Silver told CNN's Rachel Nichols in an exclusive interview Sunday.

Until then, Silver notes, Sterling still hasn't withdrawn a billion-dollar lawsuit against the NBA.
He's also wary of the litigious Sterling, whom he says he's known for decades.

"He's unsold his club several times over the years," Silver said. "There's well-noted incidents in the league when he was right there at a closing and at the last minute decided not to sell. And until he signs that document, we still have a pending litigation with him."

In his first extended interview since recorded racist remarks made by Sterling were leaked online, Silver gave Nichols a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the scandal that thrust the rookie commissioner into the spotlight just months into the job. The racist remarks sparked a media firestorm and prompted players to threaten to boycott in the midst of the playoffs if action wasn't taken.

"You deal with the cards as they're dealt," Silver told Nichols. "And we dealt with it."  

Silver, who hasn't even moved into predecessor David Stern's office yet, banned Sterling from the league for life just days after the recordings were leaked, fined him $2.5 million and pushed through a charge to terminate all of his ownership rights in the franchise. 

Silver earned near-universal praise for the swift and decisive action he took, even if the fledgling boss didn't quite grasp the magnitude of what he was doing at the time

Rumors: Dwyane Wade to Retire after NBA Finals 2014 Heat Victory

Just like his fellow Heat players, Chris Bosh and LeBron James, Wade can also opt out of his contract this summer. He is bound to make $20.1 million next season, with a whopping amount of $21.6 million in 2015-16. Wade leaving the Heat to make similar amounts of money as a free agent given his age and injury history does not sound viable.

If the Heat manages to claim a "Three-Peat" this season, Wade will be winning his career's 4^th title, which puts him in a fairly exclusive class, given that only 35 other NBA stars among many have won four or more. Although Wade is already a shoo-in for the NBA Hall of Fame, adding a 4^thring to his career will cement the Wade legacy as an all-time great.

Wade told ESPN, "That's huge for me at this point." He further added, "Obviously, it doesn't guarantee that you're going to play better the rest of the way. But just having a clear mind when you play this game, this game is just as mental as it is physical. It's probably more mental than physical. So when you can go in with a clear mind mentally, feeling good up here (points to his head), and you're obviously feeling good physically, then you know you're capable of doing whatever your talents can bring."

By    TravelersToday Staff Reporter

LeBron James credits yoga class for helping alleviate cramping issues in Game 2

After debilitating leg cramps took LeBron James out of action during the final minutes of Game 1, both James and the Heat were more proactive in readying his body for the rigors of Game 2. That included, among a more extensive hydration regimen, James’ decision to attend a Sunday morning yoga class at the Heat’s team hotel in San Antonio. I imagine there was some surprise among the casual yogis who entered the makeshift studio to find James — a 6-8, 250-pound behemoth — knocking out a firefly pose as a warmup.

“One thing I did do differently this morning, I took an 8 a.m. yoga class at our resort that we stayed at outside,” James explained after Game 2. “Me, and three other people and also a little kid but he didn’t want no parts of it.  So that’s probably the only thing that I did differently today.”

This is far from a one-time occurrence for James, who has been active in the discipline since his days in Cleveland.

“Yoga isn't just about the body, it’s also about the mind and it’s a technique that has really helped me,” James told Brian Windhorst (then of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer) in 2009. “You do have to focus because there’s some positions that can really hurt you at times if you aren't focused and breathing right.”

Upon his arrival in Miami, James also credited yoga for his supernatural level of endurance. Only Kevin Durant has logged more total minutes since James joined the Heat in 2011.

“I do Pilates and yoga, just try to stay above the curve to get to this point,” James said in 2011, per the Miami Herald. “So, I mean, I feel like it’s helping me. Does it work for everybody? I don’t know. I’m not a guru about how to be in the best condition, don’t let me sit here and tell you that. But it works for me.”

James is hardly the only Finals-relevant player to dabble in yoga as a means of physical maintenance. Dwyane Wade added it to his game preparation, in part to loosen his hips. The Spurs have also coordinated yoga sessions as a team for years, and may have a leg up on their Finals 

By ROB MAHONEY

Rafik Dimian

LeBron James on Spurs: 'They want us, so they got us'

The Miami Heat heard San Antonio Spurs star Tim Duncan loud and clear.

"They don't like us. They don't," LeBron James told news reporters Monday in Miami. "I can sense it from Timmy's comments over the last couple of days. … They want us, so they got us."

Winning a championship is motivation enough, but players often look for an extra edge. The Spurs are bent on revenge. The Heat have on eye on history, trying to become the fourth NBA franchise to win three consecutive championships (along with the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls).

"You get to the Finals, you use everything as motivation," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said.

Miami now has a Duncan quote for its bulletin board. In an on-court TNT interview after the San Antonio Spurs clinched their second consecutive Western Conference title, Duncan said, "We've got four more to win. We'll do it this time."

He later added, "We're happy it's the Heat again. We've got that bad taste in our mouths still."

The Heat know the Spurs badly wanted another shot at the Heat, and it's here. Game 1 is Thursday (9 p.m. ET, ABC).

By Jeff Zillgitt, USA TODAY Sports

Rafik Dimian

New York Knicks Rumors: Knicks Favorites to Hire Derek Fisher

According to Yahoo!, the latest New York Knicks rumors suggest that Fisher is the Knicks’ favorite candidate and that they’re the front-runners to land him: As the Los Angeles Lakers remain cool on the pursuit of Derek Fisher as a coaching candidate, the New York Knicks continue to cement themselves as the strong frontrunner to hire him, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Knicks president Phil Jackson has been eager to sell Fisher, 39, on the possibility of Jackson mentoring him as part of a direct move from Fisher’s playing career into the Knicks head coaching job. Fisher is taking a few days to finalize his thoughts on the likely end of his 18-year playing career before fully engaging in talks to become a head coach.

Nevertheless, the Knicks and Fisher expect conversations to begin before the end of the week, league sources said.

by Scott Davis

Rafik Dimian

Fisher says Knicks talk is in his future

Derek Fisher says he wants to take a "day or two" to sort through what could be the end of a long and distinguished playing career before he turns his attention to whatever comes next. 

Fisher appears to be the leading candidate for the New York Knicks' coaching vacancy and also may draw interest from the Lakers.

After his Oklahoma City Thunder suffered a season-ending loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, Fisher told reporters that it was too soon to talk about his future.

“I can’t go there tonight,’’ Fisher said. “It’s too fresh of a wound. It’s possible this truly symbolizes the end of a very long career. I don’t think [with] the emotions I’m feeling now it’s smart to bet on what I’m going to do next. I’m definitely going to take it seriously and consider my options, consider what’s best and go from there. There’s a right way to wrap this season up and show it the proper respect.’’

Fisher said he hasn't talked to the Knicks or Lakers about their coaching vacancies but expects to do so.

By Ian Begley | ESPNNewYork.com

Rafik Dimian

EXCLUSIVE: New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton nearing plea deal for pistol possession case

Rafik Dimian



New York Knicks point guard Raymond Felton is nearing a plea deal in his pistol possession case, the Daily News has learned.

Felton’s case was called in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday — days ahead of its original date — without a courtroom cameo by the hoops star.

During the hearing, the prosecutor told Judge Lisa Sokoloff things were headed toward a plea, possibly in time for Felton’s next court date on June 23.


“We've been attempting to work out a disposition, and both sides need just a little more time,” Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Rebold said.

Rebold said he’s “hopeful” that by the next appearance “we will either have a disposition” or a date for the case to be settled by. It remains to be seen whether the DA will push for jail time under the state’s strict weapons laws or if he will get a break. He currently faces up to seven years behind bars on the top count.

BY SHAYNA JACOBS 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Carmelo Anthony's Career Crossroads Should Lead Him Away from NY Knicks

Rafik Dimian

here's a big difference between "should" and "will." 

Ultimately, we have no idea what's going on in Carmelo Anthony's head as he decides whether or not he wants to stick with the New York Knicks for at least another season. He can opt out of his contract by late June and hit the market as an unrestricted free agent; then the options become limitless. 

Re-signing with the Knicks on a longer deal is certainly a possibility, but so too is fleeing Madison Square Garden for a greener pasture. 

We don't know what he'll do, but we certainly know what Phil Jackson wants. The newly hired president of basketball operations recently spoke to  ESPNNewYork.com's Ian Begley,, and he didn't leave any margin for error when it comes to his desires: 

"I told him it might be a good idea to hang in here and see what it's like for a year and go out the next year. But that's his option, that's what he's earned, and that's what's part of his contractual agreement. He has the right to do that. But I just offered that as, 'Look, this gives you an opportunity to see how this is going to change, see how we're going to get going, your relationship to the team and the coach and the system or whatever, the system we impose."

There's just so much up in the air when it comes to the Melodrama in New York. 

By Adam Fromal, National NBA Featured Columnist