Carmelo Anthony says he would have had no problems playing with Kobe Bryant

[TOUCH MY BODY]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/24769891/carmelo-anthony-says-he-would-have-had-no-problems-playing-with-kobe-bryant

Carmelo Anthony told reporters on Sunday that the idea of playing with Kobe Bryant in no way swayed him against signing sith the Lakers in free agency when he returned to New York this summer.

"Hell no. Of course not," Anthony said. "If I thought that [playing for the Lakers] was the right situation for me from an overall perspective as far as having a team there, then I would have looked at that situation more in-depth. I just felt more comfortable staying here in New York. But as far as playing with him ... I'm here now but I would always love to play with Kobe."

Anthony said that he and Bryant, whom he considers a good friend, had several conversations outside of the pitch meeting, but that he never felt pressured.

"He wasn't calling me every day and like, 'Get over here! I want you here!'" Anthony said. "We had conversations about different situations whether it was in New York or in L.A., but it wasn't to the point where it was non-stop calling or texting or stuff like that."

via Carmelo Anthony says he didn't rule out Los Angeles Lakers because of Kobe Bryant's presence - ESPN New York.

Anthony only met with the Lakers for a few hours, after spending a full day with the Bulls, a half-day with the Rockets, and a half-day with the Lakers, before meeting with the Knicks in LA and deciding to return (and get paid over $120 million). Anthony has long been friends with Bryant, and they share a similar outlook to the game, based on comfort level and high volume shooting.

Many had wondered if Anthony had signed there if there would have been enough shots to go around. But Anthony never seemed like the type to want to take over in LA. He's always seemed like he wants his shots and to win a title in a big market, but sharing it with Kobe is different than having to share it with, say, Jeremy Lin who he reportedly clashed with.

Still, Anthony can say he wanted to play with Bryant, but he didn't. He can deny the conflict, and he's probably being honest, but he also can't provide much in terms of proof that stars want to sign there. They haven't, and the one they traded for, Dwight Howard, left. It takes a special beta-type player like Pau Gasol, and that combination of attitude and talent just doesn't come along very oten. We touched on the various comments from league executives in regards to Bryant after the ESPN the Magazine article was published this week.

[Cocaine80s]

dude couldnt even handle playing with Jeremy Lin

[Real Men Wear Green]

Not that I think he's lying but which player is going to come out and say they wouldn't play with Bryant?

[IncarceratedBob]

lebron loved having kobe as a teammate on team usa

[JohnMax]

No one likes playing with Melo either

[Element]

Not that I think he's lying but which player is going to come out and say they wouldn't play with Bryant?

Almost no one. Larry Bird said he'd want to play with Kobe over LeBron, too. Kobe makes those around him more competitive, if both sides are willing to buy in to the other. Pau was a ***** before Kobe manned him up. :lol

[Sarcastic]

No one likes playing with Melo either


Lebron wants to play with him.

[FireDavidKahn]

Then why didn't he sign there?:facepalm

[bizil]

If Kobe's health can hold up and he can play at a 20 points-5 dimes-5 boards level for the next two years, I think he will play two more years after that. Depending on how the Lakers look, Kobe might look elsewhere to try win some rings. I could see Kobe going to the Knicks for those years to play with Melo. U got Phil, D-Fish, and the triangle all in the mix!

[fiddy]

Then why didn't he sign there?:facepalm
http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.1861287!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_970/carmelo-anthony.jpg

[ZeN]

Then why didn't he sign there?:facepalm
- 120 million dollars
- Phil Jackson instead of Buss running team
- Hes already living in NY its easy to stay in a comfortable place where you are the main star.

- MORE MONEY

[SpecialQue]

dude couldnt even handle playing with Jeremy Lin

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Melo the reason the Knicks didn't keep Lin? I know Lin was offered a bunch of cash in Houston, but I'd imagine that after Linsanity the merchandising alone would have earned the Knicks back whatever was spent on his contract.

[LALakerFan4Life]

- 120 million dollars
- Phil Jackson instead of Buss running team
- Hes already living in NY its easy to stay in a comfortable place where you are the main star.

- MORE MONEY
And New York is his hometown.

[Sarcastic]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Melo the reason the Knicks didn't keep Lin? I know Lin was offered a bunch of cash in Houston, but I'd imagine that after Linsanity the merchandising alone would have earned the Knicks back whatever was spent on his contract.


Not enough to justify paying him that ridiculous contract. He wasn't worth the money that Houston paid him, and the Knicks were smart not to resign him.

[Mr Exlax]

I would pay top dollar to see them on the same team playing regular season games. Just the looks they'd make watching the other take ill advised shots. Pure comedy just thinking about it.

[FireDavidKahn]

- 120 million dollars
- Phil Jackson instead of Buss running team
- Hes already living in NY its easy to stay in a comfortable place where you are the main star.

- MORE MONEY
1) Melo said he wanted to win, he ain't doing that in New York.
2) Phil Jackson is totally unproven as a gm.
3) since he said that he wouldn't have any problem with Kobe, your third statement is moot.
4) being in LA he would make up the Money difference in endorsements anyway.
5) Derek Fisher is the coach for the Knicks:roll:
6) the triangle has only worked with all time great players.

Melo can talk all he wants, but the reality is that he only cares about the Money

[ZeN]

1) Melo said he wanted to win, he ain't doing that in New York.
2) Phil Jackson is totally unproven as a gm.
3) since he said that he wouldn't have any problem with Kobe, your third statement is moot.
4) being in LA he would make up the Money difference in endorsements anyway.
5) Derek Fisher is the coach for the Knicks:roll:
6) the triangle has only worked with all time great players.

Melo can talk all he wants, but the reality is that he only cares about the Money
I don't disagree that most decisions in the NBA are influenced incredibly by money.

[MellowYellow]

1 Melo is loyal to NY and has unfinished business there.
2 He likes to be the underdog.
3 He is not a lil beech like Lebron going from team to team when things don't look too good.
4 There was no perfect situation anywhere else, and the Knicks should be good this year and great next year when the Knicks have a clean slate and a GM that has a clue.

[Cocaine80s]

3 He is not a lil beech like Lebron going from team to team when things don't look too good.

Lebron and Melo have been on the same amount of teams

[Lebronxrings]

1 Melo is loyal to NY and has unfinished business there.
2 He likes to be the underdog.
3 He is not a lil beech like Lebron going from team to team when things don't look too good.
4 There was no perfect situation anywhere else, and the Knicks should be good this year and great next year when the Knicks have a clean slate and a GM that has a clue.
He's not loyal... If another team had offered more money. He would have left.

[Cold soul]

I'm not sure Melo and Kobe game would mesh well together.

[MellowYellow]

Lebron and Melo have been on the same amount of teams

He switched teams twice when he knew that the grass was greener on the other side.
Melo switched teams once, and he knew it wasn't a better situation from the beginning.

[MellowYellow]

I'm not sure Melo and Kobe game would mesh well together.

I disagree, Melo is one of the deadliest catch and shoot players in the NBA, have you seen him the olympics or all-star game

[MellowYellow]

He's not loyal... If another team had offered more money. He would have left.

Nope, every team that talked to him offered him the max they could possibly offer.

[Cold soul]

I disagree, Melo is one of the deadliest catch and shoot players in the NBA, have you seen him the olympics or all-star game

What I meant was both are high volume scorers that need ball in there hands to be most effective not sure how well they would play off the ball.

[MellowYellow]

What I meant was both are high volume scorers that need ball in there hands to be most effective not sure how well they would play off the ball.

No, Melo plays with the ball in his hands out of necessity. He plays better when he has someone else on the team that can handle the ball.... like in 2009 when he had billups.

[Im Still Ballin]

People lie.

[Cold soul]

No, Melo plays with the ball in his hands out of necessity. He plays better when he has someone else on the team that can handle the ball.... like in 2009 when he had billups.

Okay then. BTW I always thought Melo was mad clutch, I actually like Melo.

[MellowYellow]

Okay then. BTW I always thought Melo was mad clutch, I actually like Melo.

That's whats wrong with you casuals, you can't watch espn and box scores and think you know what's goin on.

[UtahJazzFan88]

I know it's not going to happen, but Kobe to the Knicks? :oldlol:

All things considering the Lakers stink and there's been rumors (probably dumb) saying that Jim Buss is tired of Kobe and all this.

This post is mostly sarcastic, but Phil is the GM and Fisher is the coach.

[Cocaine80s]

He switched teams twice when he knew that the grass was greener on the other side.
Melo switched teams once, and he knew it wasn't a better situation from the beginning.
So going from a team that made the finals to a bottom feeder team is a bad thing now ? :roll:

[Cold soul]

That's whats wrong with you casuals, you can't watch espn and box scores and think you know what's goin on.

I'm no casual, lol. Trust me on that.

[The_Yearning]

Not that I think he's lying but which player is going to come out and say they wouldn't play with Bryant?

Ain't nobody got the balls to. They know Kobe is only behind Jordan.

When you come at the King, you best not miss.

[MellowYellow]

So going from a team that made the finals to a bottom feeder team is a bad thing now ? :roll:

When that bottom feeder narrowly missed the playoffs and includes coming with K-love, it's not really a bottom feeder is it?

[Pushxx]

Not that I think he's lying but which player is going to come out and say they wouldn't play with Bryant?

Maybe Smush Parker lol.

[FlashDwyaneWade3]

Maybe Smush Parker lol.
Nobody likes Smush Parker. That's why he got kicked out of the Heat

[Cold soul]

Nobody likes Smush Parker. That's why he got kicked out of the Heat

That's one reason why and he's scrub too.

[Foster5k]

Melo is just giving lip service. Dude never wanted to play with Kobe. Melo and LaLa are all about the money. Knicks offered more bread and so he took it.

[pauk]

lebron loved having kobe as a teammate on team usa

They are very complementary players, dunno about Carmelo & Kobe though...

[R.I.P.]

Of course it was Kobe. Not the aging player first and foremost, but the contract he demanded, that killed all cap flexibility. Therefore in the end Kobe is the problem. If Kobe signed a Dirk contract Melo and Pau are probably there.

But Melo shouldn

[ralph_i_el]

Why would Melo care about playing with Kobe? The checks would still clear right?:confusedshrug:

The only problem I could see is him being worried about Kobe hopping on Lala

[HurricaneKid]

Not enough to justify paying him that ridiculous contract. He wasn't worth the money that Houston paid him, and the Knicks were smart not to resign him.

The increased viewership for the two weeks of Linsanity was worth somewhere between 12-20M. The Knicks ownership group owns MSG. That means they own the arena and the TV network so increased viewership goes STRAIGHT to the bottom line.

On a basketball contribution level Lin was severely overpaid. From a revenue generation perspective he absolutely should have been matched. Houston became the favorite team in China again and gained the revenue streams that the NYK should have taken in.

I almost admire Dolan, et al for choosing "winning" over profit. Its just too bad every other decision they made destroyed their opportunity to win.

[longtime lurker]

[QUOTE=R.I.P.]Of course it was Kobe. Not the aging player first and foremost, but the contract he demanded, that killed all cap flexibility. Therefore in the end Kobe is the problem. If Kobe signed a Dirk contract Melo and Pau are probably there.

But Melo shouldn

[MellowYellow]

I'm no casual, lol. Trust me on that.
When it comes to Melo you are, you obviously have no idea what kind of player he is

[ImKobe]

Then why didn't he sign there?:facepalm

This is not 2K15 :facepalm

- 120 million
- His family is in New York
- Phil Jackson
- Lakers FO

[KingLeBronJames]

Then why didn't he sign there?:facepalm
If greatest coach of all time is running the Knicks who are the top 3 big markets in sports is offering Carmelo $120 million to say in his hometown of New York. Of course he's gonna take that offer. If he was still in Denver and they offered him $120 and have nothing else to offer, then I think he'd bail to L.A. Even if they offered less than the Nuggets did cause he'll make more being with the Lakers anyway with the commercials and other things that are gonna be offered to Melo.

[Cold soul]

When it comes to Melo you are, you obviously have no idea what kind of player he is

Both average over 20 shoots a game I'm not sure that would work out that well.