Carmelo Anthony recently opened up about how close he came to returning to the New York Knicks in 2022 before ultimately deciding against it. On the latest episode of his podcast, ‘7PM in Brooklyn’, Anthony revealed that he had conversations with the Knicks in 2022, but ultimately chose not to sign with the team due to uncertainty about his role.
“I’m trying to go back to that time. I think I had just, I was finishing, I finished the season in LA. So that summer, like I already knew I wasn’t going back to LA. You know what I mean? It was an energy, it was a vibe.”
“It wasn’t a bad vibe, but it just wasn’t a vibe that like we have in that conversation to figure out something else. You just knew that they were going in a different direction… You know what my plan is playing out the way that I wrote it out right? To come back to New York, finish it out in New York.”
“Have my year, it’s a good team, you know I still can play ball, I still can help the team out like it was just like the vision I had like damn you know my goal was to always make to finish it out here anyway. So that was my plan.”
“I moved out the city, got the crib out there by, you know what I mean, I got the crib out in the county. So it was like, oh okay, this is, this is going to happen… They had a spot on the roster and respectfully, the powers that be, we sat down and had a real conversation. Listen, here’s a spot.”
“You can be on a team tomorrow, but this is the spot. So no, no, I can’t do not knowing of when you’re going to play and not play. And I’d rather not go through that. Right. I’m a bow out gracefully. I just had a hell of a year, you know what I mean, in LA in my role. Like, basketball, that ain’t the issue. I can’t do that.”
“That’s a hell of a decline when I look at it overall, the overall big picture. That’s a hell of a decline. To go from, like, that’s a, you know what I mean? Like, I mean, a decline. So I just, I had to stand on that. Like, nah, no disrespect. Like, this is, these are people that I really fuck with and like, you know, we have real relationships.”
“So it was just like, nah, I can’t accept that. I don’t even think y’all want me in that role. Like, which is why you don’t even want to, you, you offered it, but you ain’t really offer it because you know, deep down inside, like I don’t want you in that role right there. Right.”
“That’s not the representation of New York Knicks number seven Melo that We want people to remember that right?”
Melo reveals that he turned down an opportunity to return to the Knicks
“I said, ‘Nah. Nah. I can’t. The not knowing of when you’re gonna play and not play, uh, I’d rather not go through that. I’ma bow out gracefully.’”
(🎥 @7PMinBrooklyn )pic.twitter.com/go3Pm4NySP
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 27, 2024
After finishing his final NBA season with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he averaged a solid 13.3 points per game, Anthony considered rejoining the team where he spent seven of his most iconic seasons.
However, the talks didn’t lead to a deal, and the reasons behind this decision offer a glimpse into Anthony’s mindset at that stage in his career. At 38 years old, Anthony was not willing to accept a role that lacked clarity on his playing time. He wanted to contribute meaningfully, not just fill a spot on the roster.
Carmelo Anthony also hinted at some hesitation from the New York Knicks‘ management about offering him a concrete role. He felt that there was a reluctance to fully embrace his return, partly because of the response they might receive from fans if he was on the team but not playing significant minutes. Reflecting on the situation, Anthony made it clear that money was not the issue. It was more about the fit and the potential impact on his legacy.
In the end, Anthony chose to retire on his terms rather than risk a diminished role that could tarnish his storied career. Although Knicks fans would have loved to see him back in a New York uniform, Anthony’s decision to bow out gracefully reflects the pride and self-respect that defined his time in the NBA.
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