Knicks legend Earl Monroe sees some pearls on this Phil Jackson-inspired, revamped Knicks roster. The man known as “Earl The Pearl’’ even believes Jackson’s Knicks easily could finish in the top four in the wide-open Eastern Conference after failing to make the playoffs last season with a 37-45 record.
Monroe, the flashiest member on the Knicks’ last title team in 1973, with Jackson as teammate, said he believes on paper only Indiana and Chicago boast a distinctly better roster. Sorry, LeBron.
“If these guys can get off to good start and stabilize what their roles are, I don’t see why they can’t be as good as the rest of the guys in the East,’’ Monroe told The Post Tuesday. “I see them [in the top four] easily.’’
Monroe said he feels new center Samuel Dalembert is no downgrade from departed Tyson Chandler. He likes the backcourt with newcomer Jose Calderon and Pablo Prigioni as cerebral point guards along with athletic shooting guards in Tim Hardaway Jr. and Iman Shumpert.
Monroe said he believes Carmelo Anthony still is getting better and predicts the enigmatic pair of swingman J.R. Smith and big man Andrea Bargnani can be salvaged by the triangle offense Jackson and coach Derek Fisher will employ.
Monroe also had high praise for Jackson, his old teammate.
“Whatever he does, he’s an extension of us — the old Knicks,’’ Monroe said. “I’m proud of what he’s done for us.’’
Monroe is still on the mend from six surgeries on his right knee since last July — the latest a knee replacement. Nevertheless, despite being in and out of the hospital, Monroe has invested time in his new candy business — sportscandystore.com — that wraps confectionaries in NBA-team logos.
Monroe certainly is sweet on the Knicks’ moves, starting with Jackson snatching Calderon and Dalembert from Dallas.
“Obviously it’s all part of the plan — it’s important for Phil to have players who understand the game,’’ Monroe said. “It’s one of the reasons he went with Calderon. To have Prigioni, it’s two guys who really understand the game. Add a couple of other guys with a lot of athletic ability in Hardaway and Shumpert, it’s a great nucleus in the backcourt with those four guys.’’
That doesn’t include Smith, who has admitted to being a disaster for three-quarters of last season.
“A shooter like that can thrive in this situation if he buys into it,’’ Monroe said.
Most experts have serious concerns up front with Dalembert and injury risks Amar’e Stoudemire and Bargnani. But Monroe doesn’t see it as alarming.
“Tyson didn’t give you much at all last year,’’ Monroe said. “Since the year before, the Indiana series, he really hasn’t really done anything since then. You’re not losing a lot when getting a Dalembert. He plays the defense and he’s bigger than Tyson and takes up more space underneath.
“And nobody’s talking up Bargnani. He’s a guy who can shoot from the outside as well anybody.’’
Monroe didn’t find it a surprise Anthony re-signed.
“I always thought, unless he’s going somewhere where he could win a championship ASAP, and you know that, I figured he’d probably be here,’’ Monroe said.
Despite Anthony’s late-fourth-quarter ineffectiveness last season, he posted big numbers in averaging 27.4 points and a career-high 8.1 rebounds.
Does Jackson still have to shape Melo into a champion?
“I think Carmelo is shaped anyway,’’ Monroe said. “A great offensive player playing in a system that’ll be good for him. He gets a bad knock a lot of times. He takes a lot of shots, but he makes a lot of shots. Last year was one of his better years scoring the ball and in terms of rebounding and trying to get other guys involved. I thought it was tremendous year and he can still build on that.’’
Even a rookie coach in Fisher doesn’t scare Monroe.
“It goes to the credentials and credibility from Phil,’’ Monroe said. “Everybody understands where Phil is at and knows why he got Derek. Even in the learning process, they can still fire away.’’