Phil Admits the Melo Era Should End

[Don Che]

Found a brief write up on Realgm/ If this is a problem or issue please delete but:

Phil:
One of the Most disappointing season's we've had.
The group felt they lost their way and ability to win close games.
We built this team with the intention of providing support for KP, Melo, and Lance
Our calculations were to provide a strong starting unit since our bench wasn't strong
Starters never developed consistency or chemistry
Looking forward to this like a beginning of a new season - REBUILDING - a lot of things will happen between now and July.
Looking forward to draft pick. Coin flip coming up next week.
Our balls will be split in half between Minny and us. But the lottery could move up or back.
The buck stops here. You know we have collected a group of young guys who played well together.
Back court competitive and played D. Missing a little bit of talent. Some chances to do great things on the court.
Some things were not in the tanking form, which we don't do.
Learned to play together. That was great.
I don't know if you guys have any questions? I can't imagine why you'd have any (humor).

Question on Melo's future??
P: I talked with Melo. Told him we were not in a position to win a championship last year, gave him the choice to stay or leave. This year there was some curiosity if he'd be available for trades, and it became public. I compliment him on how well he held it together. We found nothing available that was rational for us. In our talks this time, we talk about how we have to do what have to do. We will take into account his situation, not dump him, but our priority is to (move him) so we can win.

Our meeting was cordial, not contentious at all. We haven't been able to win with him on the court at all. We need players who are active on every play on Offense and Defense. That's our direction we have to go.

We want to move forward as a younger, developing team

Phil: not trying to make Melo into MJ or Kobe. He's still an elite scorer.

Phil: We didn’t have an identity. Aggressive play that creates teammwork. Brought up 3 or 4 players to build with. People see where we’re going with this. We didn’t have a lot of draft picks. We’re hoping for talent this year - many are young and could take 3-4 years to develop - beyond my tenure here. I didn’t come here just to win the championship, but were directed by my instructions form Dolan to become identifiable as who we are and how we play.

Phil: who else has to talk? You (press) aren’t fans, right?

A number of incidents stepped in the way of our plans. The trade deadline didn’t produce. My own personal life became an issue this year that I had to deal with on my own.

There was no explanation for DRose leaving. It was just a young man who felt a need to see his family. I thought it was disruptive but didn’t particularly hold him back.

He wants to be back - redeem himself as a player, and I like who Derrick represents as himself - a warrior taking on a big challenge.

Basketball made up of simple acts. Not rocket science. Handle ball, stop, pass, use timing, and team play. We got off course somewhere here. A particular system as become seen as an impediment. It is NOT an impediment. When you build a system of anything, and I can give an example of this - Belechik, Seahawks - when you develop that system so that people are on board with the system, it’s something that is concrete. Coach institutes standards that are upheld. It’s how we play. It’s now the name of it, it’s the actions and how we’re playing team basketball. It’s just basketball as it is.

But somehow it got to be resistive to the format. A lot of players don’t have the fundamental skills to do that. So as we go to this, it all falls in line. Seniority, leadership, composing an order. Fit others into that style of plays. So the Spurs can have success putting in places into their team. We could do that with the Bulls and Lakers because we could identify players’ skills into the system.

Why didn’t it work? We faced resistance at the top. They weren’t willing to be learners. We have a young coach. I let Jeff do what he wanted to do. We had an agreement that we would blend what he wanted to do. They showed that they could do that at the end of the season. That’s important. Rambis has all the knowledge I have. I thought as a combo they could work very well. We let it roll until it didn’t roll well. By the end of Feb. we knew we need more fundamentals, skills.

Likes Chasen, Billy. Teamwork with Mills. We’re interesting in skilled players who know how to play together in a team format. Jeff has a good basketball mind. He’s a young coach. Doesn’t have a menu of 10 years of coaching. We have good communications. Disconnect at times, some rebelliousness in the team that created discord. That will have to stop.

Kurt took on the role as defensive coach because it was our biggest need.

Q: Were you surprised about Noah?
Phil: I thought Joakim’s shoulder surgery playing only 28 games last year was a concern, but he’s only 31 and has a great heart. He was D player of the year. That jumped out. We talked a lot about can you get yourself back into condition? Hamstrings hamstrings hamstrings. He has great dedication to getting back to where he was.

Sportswriters - lining birdcages — are there still papers these days (laughing)

Carmelo’s been great - elite scorer - stood up well in tough situations - obviously the partnership hasn’t worked out - he didn’t click with this team. He’s played his role well.

Possibly bring back Derrick as a scoring guard. Organizing the team his not his strength.

Phil: I had an agreement with Melo about the no trade - if we both feel it's time, it's time. You don't want to end up your career here, and if you have a chance to win, you should do it. He likes it here.

Phil: there’s some stuff about he held the ball. I said he holds the ball, but he knows how to put it in this office. I reached out to him right after that CBS show. I discussed him holding the ball when we negotiated his contract - said you only get so many times per game to hold the ball. Spots on leopard comment was not directed just to him. My door was always open. I went to Melo to discuss that.

Phil - KP is only 21. Competitive, has a great desire to win. We had some concern about holding up physically.

Q re: rebuilding and starting over
Phil - I think he’s in the book. We have 3 draft picks. We have money for contracts and free agency. We were competitive but lost so many games in the last 2 or 3 minutes.

Phil - I tried not to think about that at all.

Q: how frustrating was it not to coach?
Phil: They’re all just rings in a safe deposit box now. They don’t hold any weight for me. It feels like a long summer coming up. We have to look at who we are right now.

One of the things I like about this job is Steve and Matthews do a lot of the paperwork. My issue is about talking with coaches, finding out the game plan. I left them alone a lot to see how they’d do. Took some time on the West coast over the holidays when things fell down. That’s where I have to do more on the scene, on target mentoring.

Q:
Phil: I disagree - coaches really focusing on the defenses. But one thing the triangle does is put you in position for the defense. But now there is a big need for defending the screen and roll. Disregard of referees to not call fouls out there. That is on point, about what we need to do on D. Do we switch? Block shots? All these combinations cost us on D. Some of the guys came here with preset ideas on what they wanted to do, but the players couldn’t do it physically.

You saw Ronnie Baker changed how we played - he got into people’s bodies, fought over screens. In our process of looking for people, we’re going to look for more of that. Full court pressure is valid - takes people out of their preferred offenses.

Q: is it difficult to do what you want in your role as president, compared to coaching?
Phil: I don’t know. Coaches are so guided by the temperature of the team. I try to step back and look at things. I interrupt practices and say, hold it, that’s not how we play. We have to know who we are and what we stand for and how we play. Offer this as an ideal. I haven’t been good at tweeting, I have to stop that. I credit Barkley.

Q: ??
Phil: that’s a long way down the road, but there are very few options at that level, but there are options.

Need to play hard, like the last 5 or 6 games. Activity, ball movement - that’s what they’re going to see more of. We had a lot of scorers on the floor. Their mindset is when do I get a shot. They feast off of scoring. You can’t have that on a basketball team. Not that mindset. If you’re itchy for a shot and put one up, it’s not going to be a good shot. Defense is where you have to make your mark.

Q: Do you regret keeping Carmelo?
Phil: No, it just didn’t work.

Melo plays 34 minutes a game — it’s a big hole to fill.

Q: what’s the market for Melo?

Phil: I don’t know. There are teams that could be eliminated right away in the playoffs and will realize they need more scoring like Melo. One of the worst things is to lose in the finals. If you lose quickly, you can change things. But if you lose in the finals?

We had some potential changes, but other teams would’t give up core groups of players to make that trade work. I’ve discussed with Melo what we may do, but I won’t tell you.

I think our fans have seen progress and what we’re looking for. It’s not in the won lost column. You can’t see it there in the W-L record. When I was in Chicago, the ownership said the worst place to be was 6-7-8th without a good draft position and never be able to move up. You have to be pretty sure about the direction you want to go. We are trying to do it with some players who are talented and be a part of a team. Some are free agents, up to them and us about making an offer.

I’ve never criticized Carmelo. That’s all speculation by writers. Holding the ball is not a criticism. It’s pure fact. People have to take that if they’re going to be coated. Or they can’t be a part of our organization.

Re: KP. I thought there were good games when he took shots, other times he didn’t take a 3. He learned some post up things and other shots. I’m really positive about him.

Thoughts?!

[cragganmor]

pretty blunt, honest. no shying away from the truth. um, it took him this long to figure it out?

having said that, he's on the right track, wants more defensive-minded, tough, scrappy players like ron on the roster. those guys you can get in the 2nd round or even udfa as ron was.

[Minkaveli]

Video and audio of the press conference.

[Don Che]

some of us said this a year and half ago but...but it is accurate

you need 2 or 3 all world players and a bunch of guys like Baker basically

We have the role players set..we just need another possible star or 2...takes luck and good scouting.

[nazrmohamed]

I'm actuality fine with him coming out and finally saying what's on his mind. What I'm concerned with its this talk of significant player. Sounds like "next star up" talk rather than a true rebuild but let's see what significant player means. I can't imagine teams are ready to give up studs under the age of 26 and the last thing I wanna see is some Melo for Love trade, which addresses none of the reasons he wants Melo gone.

Then to hear him describe Rose as a warrior. The same guy who dragged the knicks into a rape trial, went AWOL and didn't the entire season talking about getting a max deal anywhere he could find one. Smh.

[cragganmor]

i guess when someone is paying you $12/yr words have this different meaning...

[H20Knick]

this cumguzzing sack of shit had the audacity to sit there and say he wanted to put a team around Melo KP and LANCE THOMAS?! And then in regards to melo he says "We need players who are active on every play on Offense and Defense. That's our direction we have to go" but then 5 minutes later says "I like who Derrick represents as himself - a warrior taking on a big challenge." Our turnstile of a PG who only cares about defense if its in the courtroom. This guy is a warrior. GTFOH.

my hatred of phil is trumped only by my hatred for d'antoni

[Koopa Troopa]

this cumguzzing sack of shit had the audacity to sit there and say he wanted to put a team around Melo KP and LANCE THOMAS?! And then in regards to melo he says "We need players who are active on every play on Offense and Defense. That's our direction we have to go" but then 5 minutes later says "I like who Derrick represents as himself - a warrior taking on a big challenge." Our turnstile of a PG who only cares about defense if its in the courtroom. This guy is a warrior. GTFOH.

my hatred of phil is trumped only by my hatred for d'antoni

Phil is trying to deflect blame onto Melo because he knows the media loves to hate on Anthony. Phil is the real problem. We as fans cant sit around acting like "oh hes saying the right things!"

And for all the times he said any "right things" (im not agreeing that he said anything right today tbh) he goes and says a whole lot of bullshit that alienates the entire team and players around the entire league. Nobody wants to deal with Phil, nobody wants to sign to NY cause of Phil.

"Man I cant wait to sign to NY so the GM can publicly bash me and blame the whole season on me" <--------- said no NBA player ever

Melo might not be a super star but shouldering the blame on him is bullshit. Phil didnt say "whoops sorry" once this whole press conference in regards to Noah. Or signing lance for 5 years, all the bad deals etc. Hes got a big ego, hes full of shit and should actually be in a retirement home and definitely should not be the GM of a professional sports team.

[thewatcher]

Melo should just stay. If he doesn't play defense bench him. Who gives a shit anymore. Let us suck again the next 2 years and find the only path to championships through the draft.

[taowave]

The fans have seen progress and what they are looking for?

It's not in the Won Lost column?

Three years of 50 plus losses and we see progress?

And if that's not enough,what is up with Hamstrings and Noah? Dudes got a bum knee,torn rotator and hasn't been healthy on 4 years..Hamstrings??WTF??

How about a nice serving of reality..

The Melo resigning was a disaster only topped by The Noah signing. The mere mention of Lance Thomas should be grounds for dismissal..

So Rose is a shooting guard..Where does that leave Lee?
Are we going to have 32 mil sitting on the bench between Lee and Noah?

We have talent in KP and Willie,and they play the same position.After that everything is up for grabs..

It's a rebuild Phil. Own it ,get to work,or crawl back to Jeannie and get Magics coffee

[nazrmohamed]

Well heres probably the best way you end it. No team is gonna give up picks for Melo unless its next years pick. Melos got nit too much value. Not my own idea but I saw a trade scenario where we trade:

Melo to Miami for Bosh, Winslow, Waiters and a future lottery protected 1st rounder.

Miami isn't giving up much since Bosh cant play. He isn't officially retired so we could trade for him to make salaries match and if he retires he comes off the books. Winslow hasn't really excelled yet and everyone knows who Waiters is. I don't think its great value but for where Melos stock is, the best we can expect is what we're getting here. Two young players not yet peaked and a future first. You just move on and don't look back.

[PistolPete]

Both parties are at fault. Phil and company for giving him a no-trade clause, and Melo for stinking it up out there and not leading this team.

[n8 the gr8]

Thanks for posting the transcript Don.

I'm really not happy with Phil for saying that he wants to move Melo. It's completely Melo's decision, saying that publicly is just a trash move. The guys is on par with POTUS for both incompetence and ego.

[nazrmohamed]

^^^^ nah, I think its the best thing he's ever done. And not that I love how it all went down but hey, the whole mystery of it sucks. You ever been with a girl who you just knows gonna dump you in the next couple days. You want her to WANT TO be with you and you spend that awkward couple of days either avoiding or ....just being weird until she finally does it. I been on both the giving and receiving side of that.

It sucks. And at the end when the first person makes a definitive decision and just says....I don't wanna be with you no more the other person can at least make definitive plans. I mean, in all honesty both Melo and Phil have been way too passive aggressive about this. Both are multimillionaires with clout. Im sure if they wanted to both could find themselves in the others apartment, looked each other face to face and hashed this out months ago.

[Geolink]

Feel like Melo is going to continue to troll Phil and not go anywhere. Which will result in us being in another Marbury situation where Phil makes his bitch... I mean Hornacek bench Melo through the whole season.

[taowave]

Phil Jackson finally emerged from his ivory tower Friday, deigning to speak to the masses for the first time since before training camp started last September. And what a conversation it was.

Insult the team’s star player? Check. Undermine the team’s head coach? Check. Convince the team’s bright young talent to skip the team’s season-ending exit interviews? Check.

If there was anyone left that isn’t paid by the Knicks who needed further convincing Phil Jackson’s reign as president of the franchise – one that was unthinkably extended two more years by owner James Dolan earlier this week – is an unmitigated disaster, they should’ve gotten it Friday.

This was a tour de force from Jackson, the 11-time NBA champion head coach and two-time champion as a player who has become a nonstop clown show in his three years running the Knicks. During his tenure as a coach, Jackson was known for needling everyone – from players and executives on his own team – to various members of the competition.

When he was winning championships with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, it was an amusing, quirky part of Jackson’s personality. Now that he’s losing, though, it seems far different: a combination of pettiness, insecurity and deflecting the blame from his team’s struggles in literally every direction but toward himself.

Take Jackson’s unrelenting criticism of Carmelo Anthony. Outside of drafting Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez in 2015, managing to re-sign Anthony in 2014 remains one of the few positive decisions of Jackson’s tenure. And for those who would argue with that, remember this: Jackson has since traded for Derrick Rose and signed Joakim Noah to arguably the worst contract in the NBA. Convincing Anthony to come back, even for the most money, is a monumental achievement by comparison.

One wouldn’t know that, however, by listening to what Jackson has said – or had others say – about Anthony. Take this gem from Friday’s proceedings:

“We’ve not been able to win with him on the court at this time,” Jackson said. “I think the direction with our team is that he is a player that would be better off somewhere else and using his talents somewhere where he can win or chase that championship.

“Right now we need players that are really active, can play every single play defensively and offensively. That’s really important for us. We’re starting to get some players on the court we can do that. That’s the direction we have to go.”

So, in so many words: Thanks, but no thanks, Carmelo. Now, get lost.

There are two problems with that. The first is that Jackson unnecessarily – some would argue insanely – gave Anthony a no-trade clause when giving him a five-year contract worth more than $120 million in 2014, allowing Anthony to dictate if, or when, he will be traded if anywhere at all, severely limiting Jackson’s ability to get anything of substance for the talented scorer.

Then there’s this: in Anthony’s first two-and-a-half seasons in New York, the Knicks made the playoffs three times, and in 2013 won 54 games and won a playoff series – two things the franchise hasn’t otherwise done this millennium. Once Phil Jackson assumed control of the Knicks in late 2014, the team has gone a combined 80-166 over the past three seasons.

So who has been the bigger drain on the Knicks’ ability to win: Anthony or Jackson? The evidence seems pretty clear it’s not the player.


Now, consider how Jackson treated his coach, Jeff Hornacek. During his own time as a coach, Jackson feuded with both Jerry Krause and Jerry West, two Hall of Fame executives who delivered championship talent to their Hall of Fame coach. Still, the idea of either of them entering into one of Jackson’s practices and telling him how to coach his team would have – understandably – driven Jackson insane.

With that context, consider this obtuse quote from Jackson about how involved he will be with the Knicks next season.

“I think that one of the things that I like about this job is that [General Manager Steve] Mills does a lot of the paperwork — the back and forth with the NBA headquarters – and my issues is about talking to coaches, finding out the game plan,” Jackson said.

“I took some time on the West Coast during the holidays when I think things really kind of fell down. We lost six in a row there which changed us from being a positive to a minus. So I think I’ve got to do a little bit more on scene, on-target mentoring.”

Let that sink in for a minute. An executive who hardly ever travels with the team says that going on a midseason vacation is the reason the Knicks’ season fell apart – and, because of that, he can be free to meddle in his coach’s practices.

On what planet is this acceptable? Considering Jackson later said the 53-year-old Hornacek is a “young coach,” he’s clearly decided he needs to oversee things in order to make sure his beloved triangle offense – something virtually his entire team, led by Anthony, has rebelled against – is properly installed. It’s an embarrassing overstepping of his bounds as an executive, and only underscores how the 71-year-old Jackson wants to be coaching (the management job he’s actually good at), but that his body won’t allow him to do.

All of this dysfunction led Porzingis – the one promising thing the Knicks have going for them from Jackson’s reign of error – to skip his exit meetings today, a development first reported by ESPN and confirmed by The Washington Post. As Anthony reacted to Jackson’s comments with social media posts featuring Leonardo DiCaprio in “The Great Gatsby,” Porzingis made his feelings known by liking the posts – as well as a tweet at both he and Anthony from a fan that says, “fans got your backs no matter what” [sic].

There’s nothing better than having the one player the fans are excited about openly rebelling against the drama and utter dysfunction that is pervading the Knicks organization these days – the same as it has throughout the past 15 years. It’s a perfect encapsulation of the pathetic state of what is supposed to be one of the league’s flagship franchises, but instead has become a laughingstock.

Dolan had a chance to change that this week by dismissing Jackson, as he should’ve done, and going out and using his endless supply of cash to bring in a proper basketball executive – someone who has actually successfully done the job previously, as opposed to overpaying someone who has not.


Instead, because Jackson operates as cover for Dolan and keeps him from taking incoming fire from the media (at least when Dolan isn’t cursing at fans or banning franchise legends from MSG for life), Dolan agreed to keep him for two more years at $12 million per – a contract that only rivals Noah’s as the worst in the NBA.

So Jackson will continue on for the next 24 months, trying to apply his antiquated philosophies while openly alienating his current players and coaches and then blaming them for not agreeing with his way of doing things.

Meanwhile it is the Knicks’ loyal fans who suffer, who beg for this team to show some semblance of competency and direction, but find themselves forced to listen to Jackson’s ramblings Friday – the NBA’s equivalent of Nero fiddling while Rome burned.

[Geolink]

Knicks somehow got basketball's Donald Trump in office. Great...

[bobhait]

Phil needs to go, and now. even if you are correct, there are things you don't say publicly as the team's executive, and Phil just did... and he's not even that correct. he's been putting trash rosters around Melo the past three seasons, we've not even seen a semblance of a true PG all this time, and somehow it's all still Mel's fault? realize that not only had Melo been to the playoffs with the Knicks for two years prior to Jax, he wasn't missing the postseason ever when in the tougher Western conference, going back to his rookie season.

Phil's one saving grace right now is him drafting Kristaps. otherwise, his moves have been suspect. between Calderon and Noah he's already saddled us with two albatross contracts two separate times during his short stint. his biggest move has been re-signing Melo, which is what Dolan brought him here for in the first place... and Phil kinda botched that. otherwise, Phil's star power ain't drawn shit via free agency. he's the one who refused to meet with LaMarcus Aldridge, saying that his plan would have been to have LA play center. translation of LaMarcus's response to that is, "fuck that shit! I'm going to San Antonio". I wasn't too into the idea of LA on our roster, but I would have much rather him than Noah right about now, for sure

[taowave]

I can't stand Phil..If he would simply say he fucked up and will take the necessary measured to right the ship,I could overlook his ineptitude.

But he trashes Melo at every opportunity and in the same breath praises Derrick Rose?

Seriously??

Phil has gone thru three coaches and is completely micromanaging the fourth..

The fact that KP skipped an exit interview speaks volumes.

3 straight 50 loss seasons,a ridiculous coaching carousel and the guy is inches away from losing the golden unicorn..

[shakespeare]

Both parties are at fault.

AGREED.
I don't understand how neither Phil nor Carmelo believes otherwise.