CHICAGO — As the NBA trade deadline approaches Thursday, the relationship between Mike D’Antoni and Carmelo Anthony appears to be deteriorating.
There are several indications the alliance is getting worse, not better, and it seems inconceivable both will be back with the Knicks next season. According to a source familiar with the situation, Anthony is disgruntled and he may have given off those signs when he didn’t join the huddle during a third-quarter timeout. (Anthony claimed that occurs often).
Anything bold happening at the trade deadline would seem unlikely. D’Antoni is more likely to get fired than Anthony get traded after the Knicks dropped their sixth straight game, 104-99, to the Bulls.
Anthony, who was benched the entire fourth quarter Sunday and didn’t seem happy about it afterward, finished with 21 points but took 21 shots to get there.
The Knicks are 2-8 since Anthony returned from injury and D’Antoni continues to stress running the club through Jeremy Lin and not Anthony because that’s what spawned the 8-1 Linning streak and turned the Knicks into a global story.
D’Antoni heard brief “Fire D’Antoni’’ chants Sunday. He has admitted the team’s psyche and spirit has reached a low point just weeks from the Knicks being on top of the sports world. The D’Antoni-Anthony-Lin troika is not working.
D’Antoni realizes his future is tied to the hip of Lin and strenuously defended Lin on Sunday and again last night before the game.
“I’m not real concerned,’’ said D’Antoni of Lin. “If we get everything straight and make everything easier for him. We’re making it hard for him now.”
D’Antoni rarely has been passionate about Melo and that’s probably why Anthony is probably longing for George Karl right now. In fact, a person connected to Anthony said he was once told after the Boston playoff sweep last spring that D’Antoni likely would not return as coach.
Whether D’Antoni hasn’t figured out how to coach Anthony or Anthony hasn’t figured out D’Antoni’s system is a moot point.
If they don’t start get on the same page quickly, the D’Antoni-Anthony marriage will be over soon. D’Antoni is probably a long shot to stay unless owner James Dolan is adamant about seeing what assets he can get for Anthony, whose stock has plummeted because of his contract and poor season.
If the Knicks want to build around Lin and D’Antoni’s speedball offense and Tyson Chandler’s defense, then Anthony could be sacrificed. Asking interim GM Glen Grunwald to put together a package by Thursday appears out of reach.
Lin can be re-signed for the Knicks $5 million mid-level exception and they can match any offer. Much to Lin’s chagrin, D’Antoni probably is the one who won’t be offered a contract extension, even though Linsanity never happened unless the former undrafted point guard wasn’t running the D’Antoni’s attack that gives the point guard all the freedom and decision-making.
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