Hands off Melo!
Knicks coach Mike Woodson took exception to a report Bulls center Joakim Noah tried to recruit Carmelo Anthony to Chicago during All-Star weekend, calling it illegal and a form of tampering.
“I’m not going to get into all of that. You know legally nobody can recruit anyone. You can’t do that at this point,” Woodson said Thursday during his weekly radio spot on ESPN Radio. “Melo is still wearing a Knicks uniform, and I hope he stays with the Knicks for the rest of his career. I’ve always said that. So whatever was said between Noah and the Chicago Bulls, that’s on them.”
The matter surfaced after a recent ESPN report that during the recent All-Star weekend in New Orleans, Noah allegedly told Anthony, “If you want to win a ring, if you want your legacy to be about winning, come to Chicago.” It stated Noah told Anthony he would have a better chance in Chicago than Los Angeles.
A league spokesman declined comment on the matter.
Typically, the league only reacts after a team files a complaint, so unless the Knicks take this to the league, it is uncertain what action could be done.
Technically, Anthony can’t be recruited by other teams’ personnel until July 1, when he becomes a free agent.
Noah’s reported recruiting during the All-Star Game festivities wasn’t the only time the two shared pleasantries. As Anthony left the United Center last Sunday afternoon after Chicago had drubbed the Knicks 109-90, he quickly ducked into a Bulls family room to see Noah, who had posted a triple-double in the matinee rout.
Anthony and Noah were teammates on the Eastern Conference All-Star squad last month. According to the report, Anthony told Noah his son’s favorite player is Bulls point guard Derrick Rose.
Anthony has said he would take “a pay cut’’ to stick with the Knicks if they had a legitimate plan for building a title contender. The includes their cap space for 2015 and ability to make trades in 2014 with their expiring contracts.
Anthony would have to take a significant pay cut to join the Bulls, who can get under the cap by using the amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer and trading away Mike Dunleavy’s $3 million pact. The report stated the Bulls then can offer Anthony a contract starting at $18 million, as opposed to the max $22.4 million. In addition, he can only sign for four years, as opposed to five years with the Knicks.
It may seem surprising Anthony would be willing to take such a stark pay reduction, but friends say he is willing to do so in order to win a championship. On Sunday, a young Bulls fan in the second row held up a prominent sign with Anthony’s picture and the words “Melo to Chicago’’ on it.
After the game, Anthony called it “a good sign,’’ but later cheekily clarified he liked the artwork more than the message.