The Knicks re-signed center Cole Aldrich to a contract on Saturday, the team announced. Aldrich, 25, looked good in limited minutes this past season, and with Tyson Chandler (and Mike Woodson) gone, Cole should see an increased role this year.
Carmelo Anthony is expected to announce on Thursday that he will sign an extension with the New York Knicks, according to reports (Frank Isola, NY Daily News).
A source close to Anthony said that Anthony “believes in Phil (Jackson)” and, after “agonizing over” his decision for a week, will remain in New York barring a last-minute change-of-heart.
It is unclear whether Carmelo will accept a max contract or take a pay cut. And, of course, nothing is set in stone, at least not yet. But it certainly looks like, as many thought would happen, the lure of the Garden, the big city, and the money, as well as the 13-time NBA Champion Jackson, have convinced Melo to stay with the Knicks.
While Melo’s camp is publicly maintaining that no decision has been made yet. However, reports are starting to come out suggesting he has been leaning towards the Knicks the whole time, that the Knicks expect to keep him, and Anthony has no plans to walk away from the paycut. Isola’s report has not been confirmed by Carmelo’s camp or by other outlets just yet, but he’s one of the more reputable reporters out there… expect something to come out later tonight. We’ll keep you posted.
Expect an announcement tomorrow, when contracts can officially be signed.
-Tommy Rothman
Earlier this week, I reached out to Cleanthony Early, who was taken 34th overall out of Wichita State by the Knicks in this year’s NBA Draft.
Early, a 6-foot-8, 219 pound forward, has made a name for himself with his great athleticism, a dangerous 3-point shot, and his solid defense. Cleanthony helped lead Wichita State to the Final Four in 2013 and was a key member of this year’s squad, which went an undefeated 35-0 before losing in the 2nd round of the 2014 NCAA Tournament. Cleanthony was terrific in that final game against Kentucky, scoring 31 points on 12/17 shooting and pulling down 7 rebounds. Most projections had Cleanthony, 23, going in the mid-to-late first round, but New York managed to snatch him up in round 2 with one of the picks acquired in the Tyson Chandler deal.
Cleanthony, a Bronx native, was kind enough to agree to answer some questions for me. Check out what he had to say:
Tommy Rothman, New York Knicks Memes: How did you get started playing basketball? How did you fall in love with the game?
Cleanthony Early, New York Knicks: Started just watching my brother when I was real young and following after him. It then just escalated with the sport just being so easily accessed at all times, and from then on I played it so much… the interest in it just kept growing!
Tommy: What was the entire draft experience like, from the combine, to the interviews, to the draft itself, to the moment you were drafted? How did you find out the Knicks were taking you? Did you get a call, or did you have to wait until your name was announced like everybody else?
Cleanthony: It was a great experience, everything you ever asked for. I was happy to be a part of it all. I got a call a couple of picks prior [to being drafted] so I kind of knew.
Tommy: A lot of people expected you to be picked Early (insert pun here), but you fell to the Knicks at 34. How does it feel to be selected to your hometown team? Do you feel more motivated after falling in the draft to prove people wrong?
Cleanthony: It feels great, whatever team picked me up [at] 1 through 60 would of been a blessing. Not too many people get to live that moment of hearing your name called [on draft night] in general. Obviously the later you fall the more motivating it is for you… or at least me. I feel I have something to prove. I think I should of went earlier. But I didn’t. So therefore I have to make them remember the kid that was overlooked once again.
Tommy: Do you think you are ready to handle the pressures of playing in Madison Square Garden, on the biggest stage in the NBA?
Cleanthony: Yes sir.
Tommy: Who on the team have you gotten a chance to speak to so far?
Cleanthony: Tim, Swish, Shump, and Shane.
Tommy: What is the best advice anybody has ever given you, as an athlete or as a person?
Cleanthony: Keep God first, keep working hard, and make good decisions.
Tommy: How do you feel about working in a system created by Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher, two established NBA champions?
Cleanthony: Blessed. Those are two people I got a chance to admire and observe as good and educated people at a real young age, honestly, and now I get to learn from them. [That] is the ultimate advantage on my side.
Tommy: Where do you draw your inspiration from?
Cleanthony: My Mom, and great people with a vision and work ethic to make what they believe in happen by the energy they put out into the world and into themselves. A lot of things motivate and inspire me on a daily basis.
Tommy: What should we expect you to bring to the floor when you are on the court?
Cleanthony: A good basketball player giving his all to get those wins and hopefully a championship.
Tommy: With the Las Vegas Summer League approaching, how excited are you to get on the floor as a Knick for the first time, even if it isn’t an official game?
Cleanthony: I’m excited just to be out there with the guys, going hard, learning the offense.
Tommy: Do you have a nickname? “Earl The Pearl” is taken.
Cleanthony: (Laughs) Most people call me “Cle”.
Tommy: What was your pregame routine in college? How about your postgame routine?
Cleanthony: I listen to music and say a prayer before the game and after. But I do that a lot regardless so I don’t know if that counts.
Tommy: What advice do you have for young athletes out there?
Cleanthony: Keep God first, keep working hard and make good decisions. Watch who you keep around you, and the things you might say or do, because someone is always watching. Be smart.
Tommy: What are your hobbies outside of basketball?
Cleanthony: I like to watch movies, listen to music, read here and there, just chill and relax.
Tommy: Bonus Question: Are you ready to get some serious fashion tips from Clyde Frazier?
Cleanthony: [Laughs} I’ll take it.
*End of Interview*
Thanks to Cleanthony for taking the time to answer these questions for us! You can follow Cleanthony on Twitter here and Instagram here
You can follow Knicks Memes on Twitter here and Instagram here
-Tommy Rothman
Knicks President Phil Jackson and other members of the Knicks brass flew out to Los Angeles on Thursday night to meet with Carmelo Anthony. Melo was in LA to meet with the Lakers earlier in the day, and the Lakers reportedly offered him a 4 year, $97 million contract, the most they are allowed to give under the CBA. The Knicks, however, are allowed to give Anthony 5 years and $130 million because he is “their player”, and according to reports, Jackson assured Anthony he would receive this maximum offer if that is what it takes to keep him in New York. The Knicks, of course, are still hoping they can keep Anthony without paying the maximum amount, but it is now clear that if Melo demands it, he will get it.
The Knicks had seemed out of the Melo sweepstakes a couple weeks ago, but have since re-emerged as a very likely— maybe even probable— landing spot for the star forward. Jackson had publicly been reluctant to offer Anthony a max contract, but it appears that this was just posturing on the part of the Zen Master.
The Knicks were hoping for a verbal commitment from Melo tonight, but it looks like this did not happen. Melo is scheduled to meet privately with Kobe Bryant, who was unable to make it to the meeting with the Lakers earlier in the day. Carmelo is expected to decide soon, and we could very well know his fate by the end of the week. As of now, the Knicks look to be in a pretty good position, especially with that extra $30 million dangling in front of Anthony.
-Tommy Rothman
The Knicks announced their roster for the Las Vegas Summer League on Thursday. The team will be headlined by Tim Hardaway Junior, Shane Larkin, Cole Aldrich, Cleanthony Early, Jeremy Tyler, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, and Shannon Brown. Derek Fisher will coach the team, hopefully with some of his assistant coaching staff in place by then.
The Knicks’ first game is scheduled for Friday, July 11th, at 4 PM EST against the Dallas Mavericks.
-Tommy Rothman
The Knicks and Mavericks have agreed on a large-scale trade, according to reports.
The Knicks will reportedly send Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas, who will ship Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington, and both the 34th and 51st selections in Thursday night’s NBA Draft to New York.
This seems like a really good trade for the Knicks. First, let’s be fair and address what they lost.
Tyson Chandler was our anchor in the middle for 2 years, before having a rough season in 2013-2014. Injuries and apparent lethargy made him seem like a shell of his former self. Dallas is hoping Chandler can bounce back and be the dominant force on defense and on the boards like he was in years past. Even if Tyson does return to his old form, Dallas didn’t get him for cheap.
The Knicks also sent out Raymond Felton in this deal. The Knicks had been trying to dump Felton’s contract, so many will view this as another “plus” in the trade for New York despite the fact that they are losing a player. However, Felton was good in 2012-2013 before his disastrous campaign in 2013-2014, and at his worst, he is still a solid backup point guard. Still, the fans and management had turned on him, and he had to go. The writing was on the wall for Raymond.
Now, let’s look at what Phil Jackson and the Knicks are receiving in this swap.
Jose Calderon is a solid point guard, an immediate upgrade over Felton. Calderon is also a good shooter, making him a good fit in Jackson’s triangle offense. Calderon is not a good defender, but should be an upgrade over Felton on that end of the floor.
Dalembert is a very good defender and a solid rebounder, but very weak on the offensive end. In many ways, he is a poor man’s Chandler. His inclusion in the deal will help the Knicks replace Tyson, if Dalembert can stay healthy.
Ellington is a good shooter and plays solid defense on opposing guards. He is a throw-in, but should be a good fit in Jackson’s system.
Shane Larkin was the 18th overall pick in last year’s draft, and the point guard, as you may recall, was one of the Knicks’ biggest targets until he was drafted 6 picks before New York came on the board. Larkin is a promising player who should be able to contribute on offense, although his small stature will hurt him on defense, where a penchant for racking up steals is his only area of strength.
And then, of course, the Knicks get the 34th and 51st picks in the draft on Thursday night. The Knicks could look to package the two picks for a 1st rounder, package 1 of the picks with the $1.4 Million they are legally allowed to trade (after having sent $1.8M to Toronto in the Andrea Bargnani trade) and upgrade that pick, or package both picks with the money to move up as far as they can. Of course, they could also use the $1.4M to purchase a third pick, or trade picks (and/or cash) for players. The Knicks now have some flexibility despite trading their original picks away.
Now, for the salary cap. This trade clears room for the Knicks right now, but they are still over the cap. Even when a team is over the cap, being as close to the cap as possible allows teams to pull off more types of transactions (such as sign-and-trades) under the complicated “new” CBA, and Phil certainly got himself some more wiggle room with this deal. If the Knicks want to get under the cap this season and make a run at some of the big free agents, they will probably have to ship out guys like Bargnani and Amar’e Stoudemire. Going forward, this trade actually increases New York’s cap commitment because Calderon had a longer and larger contract than Felton, but instead of burning money with Raymond, the Knicks are now paying a quality point guard (who they can always trade, if need be).
What does this mean for Carmelo Anthony? We’re not sure yet. This trade probably makes the Knicks better now, adds upside to the roster, gives them more room to make moves to improve in the future, and shows that, albatross contracts and foolish trades of the past be damned, Phil and the Knicks can, indeed, shake things up if they are so inclined. It remains to be seen how, if at all, this move and possible moves to come (as Jackson is rumored to be looking to continue shaking up the roster) will impact Melo’s thinking.
This looks like a good trade for the Knicks. It’s not official yet, but the two teams are in agreement and, barring a major turn of events, Phil Jackson has made a big splash with his first real move as Knicks President.
-Tommy Rothman
New York Knicks Memes 
