Melo Ready To Recruit Durant, Gasol, And Aldridge During NBA All-Star Weekend In NYC
NY Daily News- Carmelo Anthony is abandoning the triangle offense, he joked on Thursday, at least when he coaches a team of celebrities during All-Star weekend in New York.
But the eight-time All-Star is fully embracing his role of “ambassador” at next weekend’s festivities and says he will try to use the NBA showcase event to sell future free agents — such as Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge this summer and Kevin Durant in 2016 — on joining him and Phil Jackson with the rebuilding Knicks.
“I hope so. I hope so,” Anthony said after practice ahead of Friday’s game in Brooklyn. “For the most part I think guys pretty much know New York. Especially the guys like veteran guys who have been in the league for a long time that come in and out of New York.
“People come here in the summer time, in the offseason, they spend time here. When they come to play, they spend time being out and about and just experiencing different things. I am pretty sure people already know New York. It is just a matter of kind of knowing and learning the Knicks organization at that point in time.”
Anthony similarly was recruited by his fellow All-Stars in anticipation of his own free agency last summer; he entertained offers from Chicago, the Lakers, Houston and Dallas before returning to the Knicks on a five-year, $124 million deal.
“That was kind of the talk of All-Star weekend last year. . . just, I’ve had that experience maybe twice now — last year and then the one in L.A. a couple of years back right before I got (traded) to New York,” Anthony said. “Now it’s my turn. Now it’s my turn to extend the favor.
“First of all I think it will create some great momentum here in the city just by having All-Star weekend in New York. The energy that will be surrounding the city kind of starting on Monday, Tuesday, all through the week. And just for me to kind of be that ambassador for the city for the weekend, that means a lot. That I can represent New York here in my hometown. Kind of welcome everybody here to have a good time for the weekend.”
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OK, so apparently All-Star weekend is going to be pretty big here in New York when it comes to recruiting free agents. Obviously the star players visit New York at least once a year for their games. But it isn’t very often where all of the best players in the league are coming to town for the type of big event that New York always crushes.
Now the All-Star game taking place in mid-February isn’t doing New York any favors. It’s cold and bleak outside, and everyone has a little bit of an edge to them. There is also the whole “everything James Dolan touches turns to shit and the team woefully underperformed this season” thing going on. Having a competently-run franchise and a bunch of smokes walking around in sundresses would be nice. But these are the cards we have been dealt. And just like Melo, we all have to put our best foot forward.
If you are a club promoter, you need to have that club banging with the best DJs and girls. If you are a girl, you need to have an extra tight dress and extra loose morals. The hair game, boob game, and ass game all have to be on point. And if you are just an everyday Joe Knicks Fan, you just have to be cool. If Kevin Durant steps on your foot, let it slide. Don’t kill the Knicks’ chances to create Splash Brothers 2.0 because KD smudged your Puma. Don’t bum-rush these guys so they feel like they are in a TMZ video. Just be cool.
Hopefully some of the celebrity and New York athlete Knicks fans bring their A-game as well and show guys like Kevin Durant, Marc Gasol, and LaMarcus Aldridge what it’s like to be in a real city instead of the podunk towns they currently live in. Since I am just a common man, I don’t know what exactly that entails. But I bet it is a bunch of wild, crazy, and amazing shit that very few people can even fathom.