Kobe Bryant is pulling out all the stops to try to put Carmelo Anthony in purple and gold — perhaps playing pickup ball with him Sunday, perhaps even trying to scare him off Kobe’s former coach, Knicks president Phil Jackson.
All is fair in love, war and Melo-paloozas. Nothing can be dismissed in this Melo drama as the Knicks went another day without hearing a commitment from Anthony, who probably will make up his mind Monday.
In what is par for the course in a twisting plot, UCLA’s senior associate athletic director for external affairs, Josh Rebholz, tweeted Bryant, Anthony and Kevin Love were at the university playing basketball Sunday. There were denials from UCLA and Rebholz deleted the tweet.
However, UCLA assistant coach David Grace had a similar tweet — “Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Love here at UCLA playing pick up!!! That’s what happens here at UCLA!!!!’’ — and did not delete it as of late Sunday.
When reached for comment on the possible game, UCLA head coach Steve Alford said: “I have no idea. You have to call someone else.’’
Subsequent reports said Love, the 2015 free agent who played at UCLA, at the very least, wasn’t present. Anthony has a place in Los Angeles, so it wouldn’t be so unusual for him to play in a game at the school.
Whatever happened in Westwood, the Knicks remain favorites to re-sign Anthony and are very confident, but Lakers brass and Bryant believe they have risen up Anthony’s list over the weekend — shooting past Chicago and Houston.
Though Bryant missed the Lakers’ presentation to Anthony on Thursday because he was returning from a European vacation, he planned to be in Anthony’s ear all weekend selling Los Angeles. A league source from one of the four other teams in contention suggested it’s possible Bryant gave a not-so-glowing assessment of Jackson.
Bryant and Jackson had their difficulties, though they got along excellently in their final years together. It wasn’t always that way. Jackson sided with Shaquille O’Neal when Shaq and Kobe were teammates, and he famously ripped Bryant in one of his books. When Jackson was asked about Bryant recruiting Anthony on draft night, he said his former player could be “persuasive.’’
In October, when the Lakers had all the buzz regarding signing Anthony, he responded to the rumors, saying: “What other team would they say? I don’t think they’d say another team. That’s the only team they’d possibly say.’’
However, as recently as late May at the Chicago pre-draft camp, Lakers brass seemed unsure if they wanted to spend their cap money on an Anthony-Bryant pairing unless it also included LeBron James, whose future still is unknown.
Despite the split in their organization, the Lakers put forth by all accounts a smashing presentation Thursday, even if it was overshadowed when Jackson flew in to Los Angeles to try to go for the kill. Lakers president Jeanie Buss was part of the Anthony meeting, showing she has more loyalty to her family and the Lakers than to Jackson, her fiancé.
To date, Anthony has said nothing but positive things about Jackson’s vision.
“I like everything Phil is doing,’’ he said before his free-agency trip.
The Post reported Anthony likes Jackson’s plans, for next season and long-term.
At Thursday’s meeting, Jackson told Anthony he can have the maximum five-year, $129 million salary if he wants it.
The Post reported subsequently there was a chance Anthony would accept a little less than the max to give Jackson more flexibility for 2015-16 free agents.
The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that Anthony got mixed feelings from Jackson during that last meeting and is unsure if the Zen Master will be resentful if he decides to take the max deal on the table and not less.
Grantland’s Bill Simmons first reported the Lakers’ late emergence, stating in a tweet Saturday night they had “made a major impact’’ on Anthony.
From a winning-the-title standpoint that supposedly is his chief goal, Anthony joining the coach-less 27-55 Lakers makes little sense, which is why signs still point toward New York.
The pitch is, if Anthony comes, Pau Gasol would re-sign with Los Angeles. If Anthony re-signs in New York, Melo won’t have the same assurance for Gasol signing there.
A foursome of Bryant, Anthony, Gasol and lottery pick Julius Randle could thrive. But that ignores the fact Gasol turned 34 Sunday and is past his prime, Bryant can’t guarantee his health after two seasons of major leg injuries and Randle is a rookie.
Part of the Lakers’ sales pitch was that, in two years Bryant’s salary will no longer be counted against the salary cap and Kevin Durant could join Anthony. However, a source close to Anthony has said the free agent feels he only has three years remaining at the peak of his prime and that’s why next season means a lot to him.
The Knicks feel they have eased Anthony’s concerns about next season’s chances with the trade they made with the Mavericks to upgrade point guard by acquiring Jose Calderon. That was a major sticking point in Anthony’s three meetings with the club.
There has been some fear in the organization that if Chris Bosh goes to Houston, that could leave a spot in Miami for Anthony to join a new Big 3 with James and Dwyane Wade. USA Today reported James is meeting with Heat president Pat Riley in the next two days and Bosh is engaged in talks with the Rockets.
The Lakers have maximum cap space and have a four-year, $96 million offer on the table. One worst-case theory speculates Anthony is using the possibility of signing with the Lakers to force Jackson into a sign-and-trade with the Bulls, who don’t have enough cap space to sign Anthony outright. If Anthony signs with the Lakers, Jackson would lose him for no compensation.