Phil fueling Kobe-to-Knicks speculation

Let the KobetotheKnicks rumors begin!

Toward the end of Friday’s seasonopening press conference on the lawn outside the Knicks practice facility in Tarrytown, Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher — two of the people who have known Kobe Bryant the longest — were asked if they felt this would be Bryant’s final season in the NBA, as he repeatedly has said.

“I don’t think it’s his last year,” Jackson said, responding almost before the question was finished being asked. Then, he smiled and added, “Sounds like maybe his last year as a Laker, but I think that’s kind of what came out of there.”

A few things here are certain. Bryant, entering his 20th season in the NBA, will be a free agent next summer. The Knicks, who employ his former coach, Jackson, his former teammate, Fisher, and his good friend, Carmelo Anthony, will be flush with cap space next summer. And Jackson never misses an opportunity to tweak Jim Buss, the brother of his fiancée Jeanie Buss and the vice president of basketball operations for the Lakers.

But the idea of Bryant, a future Hall of Famer, playing in the trian gle offense again certainly is fun to think about. Fisher, who shook his head at the thought of Bryant turning 37 last month, said he’s just hoping Bryant can avoid injuries after having his past three seasons end with a torn Achilles tendon, a fractured left knee and a torn rotator cuff, respectively.

“I just want him to be healthy, basically, and then go from there,” Fisher said. “I, personally, wouldn’t like this to be his last year playing basketball. I don’t think the game of basketball deserves for him not to play.”

First the NBA, next the Olympics for Kristaps Porzingis?

No, the Latvian big man isn’t going to try to qualify to be a sprinter in Rio de Janeiro, but Knicks general manager Steve Mills said Friday the team’s prized rookie has been studying tape of Olympic champion Usain Bolt this summer to improve his running form.

“One day I went by him, and [Porzingis] was in the cold plunge [pool] and he was on his phone, and I went over to see what he was doing,” Mills said. “He was watching Usain Bolt videos on running techniques.

“He is that diligent in terms of trying to understand every aspect of his body, every aspect of getting better and stronger. He’s a unique guy in that regard, and it will allow him to become the best player he can.”

Fisher said Anthony will be under no restrictions when training camp starts next week, but the team will monitor his progress to see if he needs to dial things back at any point.

“Medically speaking, I think he is a full go,” Fisher said. “I had a conversation with doctors recently. So medically, he will be fine.”