RIGHT ‘NOW’!
Melo: New Knicks are ‘a playoff team’
LAS VEGAS — The wait is over. The Knicks are back.
So says Carmelo Anthony, who spoke Monday for 20 minutes with a glowing Vegas review of Phil Jackson’s offseason moves.
Saying Jackson “stepped up,’’ Anthony called the Knicks “a playoff team” adding the group is “a very special team on paper’’ and has its “competitive edge’’ back.
It’s as adamantly positive as Anthony has been since the Knicks came off their 54-28 season in 2012-13. Speaking after the first day of training camp for the U.S. Olympic Team, Anthony made no bones about feeling the club should break their depressing three-year playoff dry spell.
“The time is now for us,’’ Anthony said. “The time is now for the city and the fans. The time is now. Everybody is tired of waiting and waiting. Now it’s time we can go out there and put a competitive team [on the floor]. For me, the time is now. For us as city and an organization, that should be the mindset — the time is now.’’
Jackson, who said he made the somewhat risky splash to placate Anthony’s desire to take advantage of the final years of his prime, traded for Derrick Rose, the oft-injured former MVP, then signed center Joakim Noah, starting shooting guard Courtney Lee and backup point guard Brandon Jennings.
“The front office stepped up,’’ Anthony said. “It was a collective effort. They did their job and did what they had to do to make things happen. Now they’ve put us in the situation to give us an opportunity. All we have to do is take advantage of it. I want no credit. Phil and [general manager] Steve [Mills] did everything.
“On paper, we look good, real good. It’s matter of everyone coming together and buying into what we want to do.”
In mid-April, Anthony sounded the alarm after the 32-50 season and wondered if he and management were on the same winning timetable — or if they were looking instead to build for Kristaps Porzingis’ prime. Anthony told the same stuff to Jackson in his exit interview.
“He did it for me?’’ Anthony said. “Thank you, Phil. I’ll take it. We have a very special team on paper right now. I think we have a good opportunity to do some things this year. It’s all about what we do.”
In the past 10 days, Anthony worked out with Jennings in Los Angeles and Noah at his gym in New York. He has spoken to Rose on the phone twice and has been a regular workout partner with the re-signed bench stalwart Lance Thomas.
“Sometimes you need a breath of fresh air — in Derrick’s case,’’ Anthony said. “He’s locked in right now. He’s focused. I’m hearing he’s healthy. I’m trying to get everyone in the gym. That’s how you build the relationships — off the court, too.”
Anthony said his quest is to boost Rose’s psyche.
“I want him to believe he’s one of the best point guards in this game,’’ Anthony said. “That’s just a confidence thing, and I will harp on him every day. Believe you’re one of the best point guards in this game, keep working hard and don’t even think about what happened in the past.”
The starting five of Rose, Lee, Anthony, Porzingis and Noah is probably as good as all but four clubs in the Eastern Conference, according to some NBA scouts. The season hinges on their health — specifically that of Rose, Noah and Jennings.
“Just seeing that team, and as a competitor, playing against them, always knowing what that team was always missing,’’ Anthony said. “That’s why I was looking at that opportunity at that time. Now they came to me. Couple of years out, but we’ll take it.’’