Head coach of the struggling New York Knicks Derek Fisher was recently fired in the wake of the team's continuous losing streak. Now, as the team slips away from their Playoff chances, rumors have surfaced regarding potential trades.
ESPN's Ian Begley wrote that the Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony has no plans to be moved before the deadline.
"This is something I didn't see coming, [that] nobody saw coming," Anthony said about Fisher's firing. "So you have to continue to put your trust into Phil [Jackson]. At this point, what could you do? Can't shy away from that. Can't go against it. So for me, it continues. I have to trust in it. I decided to stay here. I decided to make that decision to trust in the Knicks and trust in Phil. I have to continue doing that."
"Yeah, I mean, I done been through worse," Anthony said about the constant changes as he reiterated his desire to stay in New York. "I have been through worse. At this point, you become kind of immune to all the B.S. that goes on and the politics. You become immune to that. So my goal is to continue playing basketball, focus on the group of guys that I have in there and leave that faith to management, to the front office."
"Yeah, I don't think that's even a question for me as far as playoffs," Anthony said when asked about his goal for this season. "My goal every season is to try to get to the playoffs and try to win a championship, so I think Kurt is spot-on when he says that. That should be our goal as a team. It was our goal. It should be our goal now, remain our goal."
ESPN also reported that general manager Phil Jackson has said that he is looking for trades and that players outside from Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis could be on their way out.
As reported by CSNMidAtlantic.com, Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal has yet to sign an extension. With the Wizards looking to miss the playoffs, the has been rumored to be shopping the young guard.
With Beal possibly out of the Wizards, the Knicks are highly rumored to be interested in trading draft picks and expiring contracts for Beal. Given that no team wants to risk trading for a player who will walk away in free agency, the Knicks may believe that Beal would stay after a trade.
The Knicks would have to include draft picks and role players such as Derrick Williams, Jose Calderon and rookie prospect Jerian Grant. Experts believe that the potential trade would be up to the Wizards if they feel that Beal won't be signing with the team after this season.
