NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 28: Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks visits 'Sway in the Morning' with Sway Calloway on Eminem's Shade 45 at SiriusXM Studio on April 28, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Matthew Eisman/Getty Images)
New York Knicks All-Star Carmelo Anthony and New York Knicks President Phil Jackson have not communicated since the team's exit meetings in mid-April. Normally, that isn't a big deal. The season is over and both men have lives to live, families to see and work to do.
But a few weeks ago, Anthony let it be known that he wants to stay in the loop regarding New York's most pertinent offseason decisions, most notably who Jackson appoints head coach.
Instead, there's radio silence, and Anthony doesn't seem particularly happy about it (via ESPN):
"I'm pretty sure people would assume that [I'd be in contact with Jackson]. I would assume that too," Anthony told ESPN on Thursday during a promotional appearance in Manhattan. "But what can I do? Bang down the door? Knock down the door and point a finger at Phil and say why hell you ain't ..."
"I don't know kind of what they're thinking about going through the process," he said. "I don't know if he already made his decision. I don't know. Nobody knows what he's thinking. That's the hard part."
Jackson's search has somehow been expansive and narrow at the exact same time. Interim head coach Kurt Rambis -- who's 65-164 career record inspires zero confidence -- is the front-runner, but Jackson has also reportedly met with former Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt and Golden State Warriors assistant coach Luke Walton.
However, Jackson did not reach out to Tom Thibodeau -- the most impressive candidate on the board before he became head coach and president of basketball operations for the Minnesota Timberwolves -- despite Anthony knowing "for a fact" that the former Chicago Bulls coach would have "jumped on" the opportunity to call New York home once again. (Thibodeau was a Knicks assistant from 1996-2003.)
Whether he has a right to be miffed is up for debate, but Anthony is absolutely right when he says nobody knows what Jackson is thinking or where his priorities lie. Does he want to hire the smartest basketball mind available (Blatt) or stay within his Triangle Offense-infested comfort zone just to keep his buddy around (Rambis)?
It's a mystery, and despite all the positive things Anthony says about New York and wanting to stay there forever, Jackson's lack of transparency is clearly frustrating him.
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