Carmelo Anthony Calls Knicks’ Hire of Phil Jackson a ‘Power Move’

Carmelo Anthony has claimed that Phil Jackson won’t impact his free agency decision this summer, but the New York Knicks superstar seems mighty impressed that his franchise was able to nab the Zen Master (who will be introduced on Tuesday). ‘Melo considers the hire a “power move.” Per the NY Times:

Minutes after the Knicks brushed aside the inept Milwaukee Bucks, 115-94, extending their season-best winning streak to six games, Carmelo Anthony was asked what message he took from the Knicks’ decision to chase Jackson and secure his services.

Anthony, the team’s best player and biggest star, is expected to explore free agency this summer, and one of Jackson’s earliest tasks will be to navigate that situation — possibly even asking Anthony to take a pay cut to help the team.

“I’m a chess player, so that was a power move right there,” Anthony said, smiling. “You know what I mean? Now we’re going to see what’s their next move. But that was a great power move.”

Anthony, whose every utterance this season has been parsed and analyzed for clues about how he might act this summer, said he looked forward to sitting down with Jackson and hearing his plans.

Jackson, 68, has won two championships as a player with the Knicks and 11 as a coach with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers. That pedigree is expected to help change the plummeting public perceptions about the club.