The New York Knicks had the No. 4 overall pick in the NBA draft Thursday night, and Carmelo Anthony was expecting them to do a lot more with it.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports that Anthony called former teammate Tim Hardaway Jr. — who was traded to the Atlanta Hawks for the rights to Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant — after the draft to express his “displeasure” with the moves Phil Jackson made.
In addition to not wanting to see Hardaway go, Anthony was apparently unhappy with the Knicks selecting Latvian superstar Kristaps Porzingis with the fourth overall pick. Carmelo is reportedly irritated that the Knicks could have to “wait three years for this guy.”
While Porzingis shot up draft boards after impressing teams during a draft workout, many believe he is a raw talent who will need at least two or three seasons to emerge as an impact player. Anthony, 31, wanted Jackson to make moves on Thursday that could help the Knicks immediately, even if Porzingis insists he is not the stereotypical European player.
The main reason Anthony chose to re-sign with the New York Knicks last summer is that they were able to pay him more money than any other team. The other reason is he trusts Jackson. Based on how Carmelo reportedly feels about the draft and some of the comments Jackson has made about Anthony, you have to wonder if both men would have been better off without each other.
