NBA

Anthony a ‘supporter’ of Lin, but says Knicks made right offseason moves

LONDON — Carmelo Anthony says he can juggle both sentiments, feeling great about the Knicks’ offseason while also being a “true supporter’’ of banished point guard Jeremy Lin.

Before Friday night’s Opening Ceremonies, Anthony was in true Olympian form, leaping past the notion he was instrumental in the Knicks not matching the Rockets’ offer sheet for Lin.

Speaking at Friday’s inaugural London press conference for the U.S. Olympic basketball team, Anthony said “money talks’’ in explaining why the global phenom is a Rocket and not a Knick.

Anthony said he spoke to Lin after the Knicks did not match Houston’s three-year, $25.1 million offer. Anthony had called the Rockets’ offer sheet “a ridiculous contract’’ in Washington two weeks ago and always left the impression of being jealous of Lin’s worldwide attention and ballhawking ways.

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“Believe it or not, I was one of the true supporters of Jeremy Lin,’’ said Anthony, whose U.S. team opens play tomorrow against France, “whether it was staying or going to Houston. That’s not something I go out and brag and broadcast about. After he signed with Houston, I talked to him. He texted me. It was a great text. What he sent me meant a lot.’’

The Knicks did not match the offer because of massive luxury-tax penalties looming in the third year of Lin’s contract and — as The Post first reported — the club was furious the Rockets reworked the offer sheet after it was known their initial one would be matched. The Knicks then jumped at the chance to bring back Raymond Felton to replace Lin as starting point guard. Anthony said the Knicks’ free agency was still a big success.

“I’m thrilled,’’ Anthony said. “What we were able to do with the amount of cap space we had, I’m thrilled. We’re bringing in veteran guys who have some experience. I just found out we signed [Ronnie] Brewer. We definitely made strides this season.’’

Asked if they had closed the gap on the defending champion Heat, Anthony said, “I try not to compare us to Miami. I can say, I know we will be a better team than we were last year and two years ago. We’re definitely now a stronger team.’’

Even without Lin, he said.

“Money talks at the end of the day,’’ Anthony said. “Houston threw something out there that he couldn’t refuse. The Knicks organization didn’t feel like they had to match it. I’m proud of him, happy for him. Just to see where he came from, see where he started and ending up back in Houston, the team that let him go and put us in a position to let us acquire him. He’s back out there in a totally different situation and settlement. I wish him all the luck.’’

Anthony will be in the starting lineup for some of the Olympic games, pending matchups. He is coming off his best showing of the exhibitions, a 28-point outburst in Team USA’s 100-78 victory in Barcelona over Spain, which played without center Marc Gasol.

Spain stands as Team USA’s largest road block to gold and Spanish fans gave the American players an earful in Barcelona.

“Everybody else makes it a rivalry,’’ Anthony said. “Even when we beat them in Barcelona the other day, we all went out to dinner and you can see the fans come up to us and say, ‘It’s not going to be like that in the Olympics. It’s going to be different, certain guys didn’t play in the game.’ We laugh it off. They were giving us some trash talk.’’

In his third straight Olympiad, Anthony still has a chip on his shoulder, remembering 2004’s bronze-medal disgrace. He got revenge with the gold-winning Redeem Team in 2008.

“I’ve been on both sides of it,’’ Anthony said. “I’ve been in USA basketball when everybody lost trust in us and everybody lost confidence in us, people saying that the rest of the world have become a lot better than us in basketball players. I was here in 2008 and we reclaimed our stake as being top players in the world. The second time winning the gold medal will be better than the first time.”

Anthony feels no pressure to be among the team’s top scorers, not with LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant as teammates.

“My role is really just be the clean-up guy,’’ Anthony said. “One of the dirty guys on the team, do all the little things and be the glue guy. It’s easier. I can go out there and my mindset is not to score 30 points. My mindset is different.’’

The U.S. basketball team, as is its custom, is not staying in the Olympic village, but the players visited and mingled Thursday upon arrival. Anthony said he wants to catch team handball after meeting their players.

“The interest level is still there,’’ Anthony said of what may be the last American Dream Team. “It got crazy. It got hectic. It feels good to be loved.’’

After Team USA’s win a week ago over Argentina, Anthony met his newest Knicks teammate, point guard Pablo Prigioni, whom he has admired for years.

“I’ve always liked him even before we signed him, playing against him in international basketball,’’ Anthony said. “I got to talk to him after the game [Sunday]. I told him be ready for training camp, be ready for the Knicks. We had some laughs and jokes after the game. We’ve been a fan of him, the guys on this team, just by playing against him.’’