WASHINGTON — Not long ago, it was ridiculous to think Jeremy Lin would not be back in a Knicks uniform next season. Now, Lin could be on his way out of town — thanks to what Carmelo Anthony thinks is a “ridiculous” contract.
That was the word Anthony used to describe Lin’s back-loaded three-year, $25 million offer sheet from the Rockets, which the Knicks are unlikely to match after they agreed to acquire former Knicks point guard Raymond Felton in a sign-and-trade with the Trail Blazers late Saturday night.
“It’s not up to me,” Anthony said when he met the media before the U.S. Olympic team’s practice at George Washington University yesterday. “It’s up to the organization to say they want to match that ridiculous contract that’s out there.”
Initially, Lin agreed to a four-year deal with the Rockets for $28.9 million — including $19 million guaranteed — before angering the Knicks by secretly flying into Las Vegas this week and renegotiating the offer with Houston before signing it. The new deal he signed with the Rockets included a “poison pill” in the third year worth about $15 million, which including luxury-tax payments could end up costing the Knicks nearly four times that amount for the 2014-15 season if they decide to match the offer before tomorrow night’s 11:59 deadline.
Now it seems the steep price of the third year will be enough to keep the Knicks from retaining Lin — something they insisted all along was a foregone conclusion after his breakout performance last season.
“At this point there’s a lot going on,” Anthony said when asked if Lin would return. “I stay away from that part right now. … I would love to see him back.”
Knicks coach Mike Woodson said as recently as Wednesday that Lin would “absolutely” be back next season as the team’s starting point guard and Lin was a “big part” of “what we’re trying to do.” The team also signed future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, who has said repeatedly he came to the Knicks in part to mentor Lin and help him develop.
With Lin now expected to depart, Felton — who ran the point for the Knicks for the first half of the 2010-11 season until he was included in the trade that brought Anthony to the Garden — likely will become the starter once again.
Though the Felton trade had yet to become official, Anthony said he was looking forward to getting a chance to play alongside him. He also said Amar’e Stoudemire, who excelled playing with Felton before the trade, was excited about the point guard returning to the team.
“I never played with Felton, so I really don’t know what to expect from that situation,” Anthony said. “I can’t wait if that’s the case. I know what he did with the New York Knicks before I even got there with Amar’e. I know Amare’s excited about that, playing with him before I got there … so they can reunite and hopefully we make something happen.”
One thing Anthony’s not expecting to happen is the Knicks to add any more point guards. Between Felton, Kidd and Spanish league veteran Pablo Prigioni, the Knicks seem set at the point.
“I mean what other point guards we gonna get?” he asked.
Apparently not Jeremy Lin.
tbontemps@nypost.com