Carmelo Anthony says he turned down a dream chance to retire with the Knicks because his playing time became sporadic and the offers felt half-hearted.
The former face of the franchise revealed that he and “powers that be” at the Knicks have discussed a possible reunion in the summer of 2022.
Despite this, the proposed role was “maybe play today, but maybe not for the next six games”.
“I said, 'No, no, I can't,'” Anthony said on the “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast. “I don't want to have to go through the uncertainty of when I'm going to play and when I'm not going to play. I'm going to retire with grace. I just had a great year in LA.” [with the Lakers] “In my role. Basketball's not the issue. I can't do it. Overall, it's a huge decline.”
The future Hall of Famer, who averaged 13.3 points in 26 minutes over 69 appearances for the Lakers, added that the Knicks, led by Anthony's former agent, Leon Rose, were also reluctant to pitch them.
“I don't think you guys want me in that role, so I offered it, but I didn't really offer it. That's not representative of what we want people to remember the New York Knicks No. 7 as,” Anthony said. “I think there was some hesitation in offering me the position because of their reaction that I'm not going to be there and play. It would be more of a distraction than an addition. If I was on the bench there and the whole Garden was like, 'We want Melo,' it would be a distraction.”
Anthony is not signed for the 2022-23 season and officially retired in May 2023.
The Knicks filled their final spots after training camp with Ryan Arcidiacono and Svi Mykhailiuk.
He ranks seventh on the Knicks' all-time scoring list despite six up-and-down seasons with the team since 2011.
He was such a constant presence at MSG during last season's playoffs that there was speculation that his No. 7 would become the franchise's first retired number since Patrick Ewing's No. 33.
Anthony said on the podcast that the Knicks used his roster spot for Taj Gibson, but that didn't make sense since Tom Thibodeau's favorite center only played for the Wizards that season.
That could still happen, but it didn't happen in Anthony's final season with the Knicks.
“That was the vision I had,” Anthony said. “My goal was to definitely come back and finish here.”
