New York Knicks Blog – Page 95 – NBA Blog

Carmelo Anthony enjoys birthday party in NYC

Carmelo Anthony wanted a low-key birthday and he got one. According to a source familiar with the situation, the Knicks forward celebrated his 28th with wife LaLa Vasquez and a group of about 15 at SoHo nightclub Greenhouse on Tuesday night. Our insider says Anthony insisted on “no cake, no balloons,” but didn’t refuse a couple of bottles of Champagne that his pal Swizz Beatz, who was among the guests, and DJ Clue, who was spinning at the club after a Bartenura Moscato wines event, sent his way. Anthony’s party arrived around 12:30 a.m. and the superstar stayed until 3. Interestingly, no teammates were on hand for the soiree.

— Reported by Gatecrasher/New York Daily News

Patrick Ewing no longer in running for Bobcats coaching job

As it turns out, the “Space Jam” reunion won’t be happening with the Charlotte Bobcats.

After an interview with Charlotte management, owner Michael Jordan personally reached out to Patrick Ewing to tell him he’s been eliminated as a candidate to coach the Bobcats, a league source told Yahoo! Sports.

Charlotte is waiting to see whether it will win the NBA draft lottery on Wednesday night and get the chance to draft Kentucky’s Anthony Davis before it begins a second round of interviews for the opening, sources said.

— Reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports

J.R. Smith arrested, released in Miami Beach

Knicks guard J.R. Smith took his talents to South Beach and got arrested.

Miami Beach police say Smith was arrested last night on a bench warrant for not having a valid driver’s license. Police told The Post that Smith was recognized on famed Washington Avenue in South Beach. Police originally said that Smith was pulled over while driving a scooter, but after reviewing the arrest report have now said that is not the case.

The warrant stemmed from Smith, 26, being cited last year in Miami for driving a scooter without a valid driver’s license.

Smith was taken to the Miami-Dade County jail and booked under his legal name of Earl Joseph Smith, shortly before midnight and later was released on bond. Smith has had past transgressions with the law, including vehicular manslaughter charges that were dropped.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Lamar Odom might want to join Knicks

Who will Lamar Odom play for next season? That’s currently out of his control. He’s under contract with the Dallas Mavericks, who likely will trade him or waive him.

But a source with knowledge of Odom’s thinking says the New York Knicks would be “on the top of his list” if the Queens native becomes a free agent.

“Lamar is big on being comfortable,” the source said. “And New York is somewhere he can be comfortable.”

The Knicks’ interest in Odom is unclear at this point.

They likely will be limited in their spending this summer. New York is expected to use its mid-level exception to retain restricted free-agent Jeremy Lin, which would leave the organization with little money to spend on free agents.

— Reported by Ian Begley of ESPN New York

Knicks likely keeping coach Mike Woodson

The Knicks are expected to announce Mike Woodson’s new contract as coach sometime “this week,” according to a source familiar with the situation. Lawyers began hammering out details on the pact last week and are committed to getting it done before Memorial Day weekend.

Woodson could get a three-year contract — which is the length of time left on the pacts of Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler.

It has been 13 days since the Knicks’ season ended, but the contract delay was understandable because Woodson had to fire his agent, Joe Glass, upon request from Knicks owner James Dolan.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Chauncey Billups plans to play next season

Billups has been told it will take a year for his injury to heal.

Even so, Billups, who turns 36 in September, said he will play next season.

He said returning to the Clippers is something he would like to do.

“I’m definitely going to give this a huge amount of consideration this summer. I feel like we’ve got some unfinished business a little bit,” Billups said. “You never know what direction the team is going, if they even want me back. I’ve learned not to really assume nothing.

“I don’t know if this is going to be my last time here. But if it is, I had a good time. But if not, I’m looking forward to continuing. I’m definitely going to be back playing next year. For sure and you can believe that. Believe it.”

— Reported by Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times

Jeremy Lin Knicks future wide open

Free agency is 5 1/2 weeks away, but Jeremy Lin’s agent already is setting the groundwork for what could be a complicated negotiation.

Roger Montgomery, in a rare interview, told The Post nothing is assured regarding Lin’s Knicks future, despite interim coach Mike Woodson’s declaration the global phenom — who becomes a restricted free agent on July 1 — would “absolutely’’ return.

When asked if he expects the Knicks negotiation to be cut-and-dried, Montgomery forewarned: “I don’t expect that. We’re not anticipating that’s going to happen. We don’t have assurances of anything. I know history shows most restricted free agents go back to their team, but I’m not going to assume anything. We’re waiting to see what happens.’’

Montgomery’s emphatic remarks — coupled with Lin’s “nothing’s set in stone’’ comment on Trash Bag Day — seem to be strategic messaging.

There is a possibility the Knicks will force Lin, 24, and his reps to find the point guard’s market value by first signing an offer sheet from another team, which must project Lin’s potential from a 26-game window when he played starter’s minutes.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post

Knicks hope J.R. Smith does not opt out

By Marc Berman of the New York Post

J.R. Smith has until June 26, two days before the NBA Draft, to give the Knicks notice on opting out of the final year of his contract worth $2.5 million, according to an NBA source.

If he doesn’t exercise the opt-out clause, Smith will be a Knick next season and could get a long-term deal with the club after next season. Because Steve Novak is a good bet to depart, the Knicks want Smith back as a sixth man — and possibly to play some point guard despite his wretched shotmaking in the Knicks’ five-game first-round knockout by the Heat.

Smith shot 3-of-15 in the elimination game and was 31.6 percent for the series — 17 percent from 3-point land (5-of-28).

Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald is hopeful Smith doesn’t exercise the opt-out and a source said he is leaning toward staying put with the marketplace squeezed for the middle class of free agents in the new CBA.

Toronto Raptors may chase Jeremy Lin

Toronto will be in direct competition with the Knicks for Steve Nash. But Nash is expected to look to sign with a bona fide contender, and the Knicks and Raptors don’t fit that description. The Raptors are also a potential landing spot for Jeremy Lin. They like him and what he’d do for their attendance, but Toronto would have to “back-load” an offer to the restricted free agent, paying him gazillions in the final couple of years of a deal, and hope that the Knicks would not match. According to league sources, that’s what the Raptors just might do if their Nash plan falls through. But considering that the Knicks have no other viable options at point guard, and Lin has been nothing short of a marketing dream, they’re seen as a lock to match any offer.

— Reported by Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News

Mike D`Antoni might have interest in Orlando Magic coaching job

Though the rumor is Mike D’Antoni has some interest in taking his speedball offense to Orlando if Stan Van Gundy is fired, a person close to the former Knicks coach said he is just as likely to spend next season at home in New York “for personal reasons’’ as his son finishes high school in Westchester.

D’Antoni, who was in West Virginia yesterday continuing his fundraising work for his alma mater, Marshall University, will be on Mike Krzyzewski’s Olympics coaching staff from early July to mid-August, reuniting him with Team USA member Carmelo Anthony. The logistics of inheriting a new NBA position while preparing for and coaching in the London Olympics may be unwise. D’Antoni’s son, Michael Jr., will be a senior guard next season.

If D’Antoni is wooed to the Magic, he may want to bring along 3-point sharpshooter Steve Novak and even try to entice restricted free agent point guard Jeremy Lin. Nevertheless, the Knicks can match any offer for Lin.

— Reported by Marc Berman of the New York Post