The New York Knicks don’t appear to be closing in on a new general manager just yet, which means Carmelo Anthony’s fate is yet to be decided. Anthony officially won the power struggle with Phil Jackson when Jackson and the Knicks parted ways on Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean Anthony will remain with the team either.
With the Knicks searching for a new general manager as free agency opens for the rest of the Association on Saturday, they haven’t made any decisions about Anthony just yet. According to a report in the New York Post, any decision on Anthony will come from whoever they bring in to run the franchise.
According to an NBA source, the Knicks will make no move on Carmelo Anthony until a new president is in place to succeed Phil Jackson.
As a result, an interested team such as the Rockets, who just acquired Anthony’s buddy Chris Paul, are on hold. Knicks GM Steve Mills is running the front office as the club enters free agency with a murky future.
The Post says that Mills will sty with the team no matter who they hire as general manger, but tht who is yet to be decided. It was once thought that Raptors president Masai Ujiri would be Jackson’s replacement in New York, but that isn’t as likely now that free agency is just hours away.
ESPN reported and The Post confirmed the Knicks are not expected to ask for permission to speak to the Raptors president, who recently signed a contract extension that gives him five years left on his deal.
It is believed compensation for Ujiri would be too costly for Knicks owner James Dolan. One league source said Toronto would ask for multiple picks from its division rival, including a first-rounder.
It’s important to stress just how poor the timing of all this is for the Knicks. Other, qualified people for this position are just as busy as Ujiri. Everyone else in the league is busy, but now the Knicks join the Cleveland Cavaliers as GM-less for one of the most important periods of the year for a general manager. Former Cavs GM David Griffin appears to be a strong candidate for the Knicks now, but if he does get the job he’ll already be behind other GMs in trying to rebuild the Knicks. Again.
