Knicks' Jackson Says Melo Will Consider Delaying Free Agency
GREENBURGH, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Phil Jackson says he has talked to Carmelo Anthony about postponing free agency, and the All-Star forward responded that he'll think about it.
Anthony can opt out of the final year of his contract this summer and has repeatedly said that was his plan. But they met recently and Jackson says he told Anthony that "it might be a good idea to hang in here and see what it's like for a year."
"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,' " Jackson said.
He's also still looking for a coach after candidate Steve Kerr, who Jackson said gave the Knicks a verbal commitment, took the Golden State job.
"I understood entirely the process he was going through," Jackson said. "That was something he kind of thought would be a good fit for him. So that's good, we're happy for him."
Jackson said he has been doing some interviews. He also indicated he's interested in talking to Derek Fisher, who played for him in Los Angeles, after Oklahoma City's season is finished.
And no matter how much sense it might make on paper, Jackson said it'd be too hard to do the coaching himself.
"Unless the Lord heals in me in the next week or two, I wouldn't see myself being physically prepared to take on the grind of coaching a basketball team right now," he said.
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