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Carmelo Anthony was “shocked’’ when Steve Nash went to the Lakers, but quickly recovered when he heard Jason Kidd was being added to the Knicks backcourt instead.
In fact, Anthony said he thinks Kidd and Nash are interchangeable playmakers.
“I was shocked to hear [Nash] was going to the Lakers,’’ Anthony said Friday after the U.S. Olympic Team opened training camp in Las Vegas. “I honestly really thought he’d be in New York. But it was definitely a shock. To hear the J-Kidd news kind of took that burden off a bit.’’
The hope is Anthony will fit better with the pass-first Kidd than he did with Jeremy Lin last season and a Kidd-Lin tandem has answered the Knicks’ longstanding woes at point guard.
“It really doesn’t matter, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd,’’ Anthony said. “A point guard is a point guard. Someone to run the team, get guys in their position, get everyone going. It takes a lot of pressure off me, to try to do everything out there. I can pick my spots. With Jason, it’s a point guard to bring the ball up the court and get everyone involved. I don’t have to do much ball-handling. My mindset is working off the ball a lot. This helps me out to prepare for that.’’
Tyson Chandler, who is with Anthony on Team USA, lobbied former Mavericks teammate Kidd for the Knicks, but thought Dallas and the Nets were clear front-runners.
”I talked to him all summer,’’ Chandler said. “I honestly didn’t think we had a good shot at him. I thought New York would be a great place for him. I expressed that to him. I was just as surprised as everyone else when he made the decision.”
Kidd becomes the second-oldest player in Knicks history at 39.
“I feel like he definitely has a lot left,’’ Chandler said. “I’d throw his age out the window. He’s definitely valued on the court, but he’s more valued off the court. Whether in the locker room, film, in the huddle, he’s unbelievable.’’
Chandler and Kidd were the two leaders on the Mavericks’ 2011 title team.
“Jason was incredible playing with him in Dallas,’’ Chandler said. “On both ends of the floor, bringing a calmness to the locker room. He’s never rattled. That’s what we need. We need that in the huddle.’’
The Knicks also preferred Kidd over Raymond Felton because they thought Kidd would serve as a better mentor to Lin, who is expected return next season. The Post reported, citing a league source, the Knicks definitely will match Lin’s $28.8 million offer sheet from the Rockets.
“Jason is type of guy who will take someone under his wing,’’ Chandler said. “He’s not one of the guys who sees a young guy as a threat. He wants to teach and coach. It will be huge for Jeremy Lin. He can sit and break down tape with him. Bring him to the side in huddles and really help him out.’’
Lin was supposed to be in Las Vegas on the U.S. Select Team that will scrimmage against the Olympic team. He pulled out because of his contract uncertainty, but may stop by later in the week.
Knicks coach Mike Woodson dropped by the practice yesterday, but declined to comment on Kidd and Lin until the league moratorium on signings ends July 11. The organization has been told not to speak about Lin’s contract.
“If we can get Jeremy back, I would love that with open arms to have him back,’’ Lin said. “Him learning under Jason Kidd, that is a great opportunity for him.’’
Kidd, in an interview on WFAN yesterday, said, “With the intention of signing Lin back, I saw that I can help. Hopefully help them win and help Lin. He’s a talented point guard, so at this stage I just felt I could help those guys. I think he’s going to be a consistent player, then it’s up to [the media] to label him great or good. But if you’re consistent in the league, you’ll win a lot of ballgames. So that’s what I’m here to try to help him with.’’
Nets point guard Deron Williams said he thought Kidd was headed to Dallas, even if he didn’t go there. Williams said Kidd made the right call picking the Knicks.
“I thought it was a good spot for him, a good situation for him,’’ Williams said. “Number 1, he can help that team out a lot. As far as distributing the ball, getting the ball in the right spots, taking the pressure off Carmelo to lead the team. He’s definitely a veteran guy who knows how to play the game and will be a Hall of Famer.
“He doesn’t have to do as much as he had to do with Dallas. At his age, it will help him out a lot.’’
“I thought he was going to Dallas,’’ Williams added. “We didn’t even talk about the Knicks. It kind of came out of nowhere.’’