DENVER — Carmelo Anthony said he believes Allen Iverson can still help a club immensely.
Anthony, Iverson’s former teammate in Denver, said he has spoken to Iverson, and for now The Answer intends to retire after the Knicks elected not to make a one-year offer.
“People fail to realize a year and a half ago he was here for us averaging 20-something points and we won 50 games in the regular season,” Anthony said. “I don’t know where that comes from, that he doesn’t have it. I still believe he still has it, if he gets in the right situation. Right now, he’s taking his time figure everything out.”
Anthony said the Knicks’ situation may not have been right as they look to develop their youngsters.
“They don’t want to take that chance for the one year and messing the chance in the future,” Anthony said. “I don’t think it has anything to do with him.”
Bobcats coach Larry Brown and former Georgetown coach John Thompson have said they want to talk to Iverson about not retiring.
“As of right now, that’s his stance, he announced his retirement,” Anthony said. “I’m pretty sure people will try to convince him not to. It’s all on him.”
If the Knicks strike out in 2010 in the free-agent market, they could carry their cap space over to 2011 when Anthony becomes a free agent.
Anthony, who played for Mike D’Antoni on Team USA, laughed when asked about New York in 2011.
“No, not yet,” Anthony said. “I ain’t ready to start talking about that. It’s two years from now.”
Regarding D’Antoni, Anthony said: “We love him. Offensive players love him.”
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D’Antoni kept with the same starting lineup last night, saying he wants to keep Nate Robinson in the same sixth man role, in which he is excelling the past three games. . . . Eddy Curry was trying to play last night but was still an iffy proposition before game time.