Melo gets a Love tap to 10th All-Star Game
OKLAHOMA CITY — Carmelo Anthony won’t be replacing Kevin Love with the Cavaliers, but he will be taking his spot in the All-Star Game. Grudgingly. After saying as early as Wednesday morning he didn’t want to break his vacation plans that had him headed to a warm island, needing the break to decompress, Anthony accepted the NBA’s All-Star invitation to be an injury replacement for Love in New Orleans on Sunday.
It’s Anthony’s 10th All-Star appearance and eighth straight.
The collective bargaining agreement has specific language in which a player has to go to the All-Star Game if he played the final game entering the break, and there’s no exceptions for late-injury replacements.
Anthony confirmed the CBA was a large factor.
“There’s rules, there’s rules to this,’’ Anthony said after Wednesday’s 116105 loss to the Thunder. “That’s all I can say about it.”
Asked if his family would join him in New Orleans, Anthony said, “All of this just happened. Last thing I talked to my family was spending time and taking this break. I don’t want to make it a downer. I’ll enjoy the weekend.
“Don’t get me wrong, it’s still an honor to be an All-Star, to represent our organization and New York City. I was looking forward to my break. It’s life. Things happen in life. You got to make decisions.’’
Anthony scored 30 points in Wednesday’s loss — only 11 after the first quarter — in what could be his last in a Knicks uniform. He said he expects to be a Knick on Feb. 23 when the regular season resumes in Cleveland against the Cavaliers, but refused to guarantee it. Because he holds all the cards with his no-trade clause, Anthony could have declared he’s not going anywhere.
“I never thought I would be anywhere else,’’ Anthony said. “You was thinking that? You was writing about that?”
Told he had given himself an out, Anthony said, “I didn’t give any indication of that.”
Anthony repeatedly has said he would consider a move if Knicks management desperately wanted to rebuild.
Asked specifically if he has told the front office he won’t waive the notrade clause, Anthony said: “No, like I told you all before, nothing came to me, nothing came to my table for me to look at. Until that time comes, then they don’t need for me to even talk about the [no-]trade clause.”
The Post reported a week ago Anthony had told a confidant he may reject any trade — even to the Clippers — to wait out Phil Jackson, thinking the Knicks president may quit. However, owner James Dolan said Friday he expects Jackson to finish his fiveyear contract.