Carmelo Anthony on Friday night did what Joakim Noah did not earlier in the day.
Anthony denied there was a recruiting speech pitched to him by Noah during All-Star weekend in New Orleans.
“I heard about that [report],” Anthony said after the Knicks’ 108-81 romp over the Jazz at the Garden. “Every day it’s a story. Every day it’s going to be a new story. I have no information about that. I don’t know how that story got out there, who started that story. I don’t know. I really don’t know what to say about it.”
Asked specifically if he had that talk with Noah, Anthony, fighting a cold, immediately replied in a hoarse voice: “No, not at all. I can’t have that conversation.”
Anthony, though, said he is resigned to hearing those types of reports and rumors until his future is settled. He is expected to opt out of his Knicks contract and become a free agent at the end of the season.
“Without a doubt,” Anthony said of recurring tales. “There’s going to be more stories coming out, more speculation. Everybody going to have their own take on different stories, so for me it’s I got to focus on playing ball and that’s it. Whatever stories [are] going to be out there, I can’t control that.”
In Chicago, Noah told reporters he did not want to discuss the report — “gossip,” he called it. ESPN.com reported Noah made a pitch to Anthony to play for the Bulls next season.
“I feel a lot of gossip,” Noah said, according to the Chicago Tribune. “I think we all know that we’re in a good place. Our team is in a good place. We’ve got a healthy group, it’s a healthy environment, and we’re not going to let gossip get in the way of what we’re doing.’’
An NBA spokesman on Friday declined comment on the matter.