Phil Jackson Gives Knicks' Carmelo Anthony a Plan C

GREENBURGH, N.Y. - Carmelo Anthony has maintained for months that he intends to opt out of his contract with the Knicks this summer so he can explore his options as a free agent. But Phil Jackson, the team's new president, said he recently presented Anthony with another path: Why not stick it out for one more season and see how it goes? In other words, opt in rather than opt out.

'I just offered that as, 'This gives you an opportunity to see how this is going to change, and see how we're going to get going,' ' Jackson said Friday morning in a 40-minute question-and-answer session with several reporters who cover the team on a regular basis. 'But that's his option, that's what he's earned, and that's part of his contractual agreement. He has that right.'

Jackson said he had been in regular contact with Anthony, who is vacationing with his family in the Bahamas. Jackson gave Anthony a notification date to inform the team of his plans this summer. And while Jackson said he was not 'losing any sleep' over the real possibility that Anthony will enter free agency, he did acknowledge that it was a concern.

Jackson also said it would help the team negotiate salary-cap limitations if Anthony were to remain in his current contract for another season.

'We have an opportunity in the next couple of years to get back in the hunt for free agents that are headline players,' Jackson said. 'This year, not so. But we're going to make improvements on this team, regardless.' He added, 'Can we get two instead of just one? Yeah, that's a possibility. The reality of how to do that involves Carmelo's compliance.'

Jackson also addressed the team's protracted coaching search. Jackson's first choice was Steve Kerr, who opted to join the Golden State Warriors. Jackson said he had received a commitment from Kerr the day before the Warriors job opened back up.

'So I had to kind of release him to actually go to this job and say you have to do what's right for yourself,' Jackson said. 'I understood entirely the process he was going through to have that job open up. That was something he kind of thought would be a good fit for him. So that's good, we're happy for him.'

Jackson gave every indication that he wanted to speak with Derek Fisher, a guard with the Oklahoma City Thunder, whenever his season wraps up. Asked why he was so fond of Fisher, Jackson said: 'Why don't you read my book? And you'll see in my book, it's in there. He was a lead guard and lead guards have a vision a lot of the times.'

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