Knicks president touts team's future, fails to mention Melo
It seems as though recently appointed Knicks president Steve Mills has picked up where departed executive Phil Jackson left off: Passive-aggressively snubbing Carmelo Anthony online.
In a post for The Official MSG Blog, Mills wrote about the Knicks' future - and failed to mention 10-time All-Star Anthony even once.
"Our plan to become more youthful and athletic is underway with 22-year-old Kristaps Porzingis, the return of Tim Hardaway Jr., 25, Willy Hernangomez, 23, and with the debut of our 1st round draft pick, Frank Ntilikina, just 19," Mills wrote.
Porzingis, Hardaway, Hernangomez, and Ntilikina earned two mentions apiece; Ron Baker even got a shoutout from the Knicks' top executive.
It was reported earlier in August that Anthony had still not met with the Knicks' front office this summer, despite the team's mutual parting of ways with ex-president Jackson and the re-shuffling of the front office. Anthony has been steadfast in refusing to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a move to any team other than the Houston Rockets.
It's hard to not analyze Mills' vision of the Knicks' future as one distinctly devoid of the high-scoring veteran, even though Anthony could still attend training camp with the team this year.
"(The Knicks) are devoted to a bedrock principle - to restore the pride, work ethic and accountability that comes with playing in New York," Mills re-iterated.
By omission, Mills would seem to imply Anthony lacks the attributes he hopes will define the Knicks for years to come.