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11/02/2024 03:28:16 pm

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Knicks Trade Rumors: Carmelo Still Wants to Stay but Pressures Jackson to 'Win Now'

New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony

(Photo : Getty Images) Carmelo Anthony recently expressed his intention to stay with the New York Knicks this summer but has reportedly pressured team president Phil Jackson to “win now” as he wants them to “take advantage of his window”.

Carmelo Anthony recently expressed his intention to stay with the New York Knicks this summer but has reportedly pressured team president Phil Jackson to "win now" as he wants them to "take advantage of his window" of being the franchise's leader to a championship push next season.

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ESPN reported that the 31-year-old Anthony "puts pressure on Jackson to 'win now'", making top team officials recognize that he wants the team to be a title contender in the coming season.

A "forceful Carmelo" said to have called out the Knicks' goals moving forward and that he is not ruling out a trade if it will not happen during his window, virtually leaving the "door open to wanting out sooner than later if the losing doesn't stop".

"I think about it. The only thing I think about is winning more - whether it's here or somewhere else," the nine-time NBA All-Star told the New York Post. "That's the only thing I think about. I haven't thought about putting myself on another team. My thought process is how can I win and make this situation better. What can we all do to make this situation better?"

"As of right now, I'll be here," Anthony later backtracked. He confirmed that there had been no talks of him requesting for a trade and he is just focused on how to help the team get better moving forward and how to make the most of his "window" and their situation as of the moment.

However, the former NBA scoring champion had given enough hints that if Jackson will not go all out this summer to acquire quality free agents and make the team successful, then he may pull the plug on everything and ask for a trade.

"What's successful for us?" said Anthony. "That's the question you have to ask ourselves as a whole organization. Not just winning another 15 games like we did this year and playing for the eighth seed."

"A championship for me is always the ultimate success - not us slotting in and barely getting into the eighth seed. That's not success for me. Having prominence in the postseason. That's success," he added.

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