New York Knicks‘ Carmelo Anthony told reporters after practice on Tuesday that the team is going to start shortening his minutes.
Wave the white flags on another lost season for The New York Knicks. They’re not quite tanking, but they’ve unofficially thrown in the towel by reducing the playing time of forward Carmelo Anthony.
Anthony told Frank Isola of The New York Daily News after practice on Tuesday that head coach Jeff Hornacek informed the nine-time All-Star his workload would decrease for the final 12 games.
“He mentioned today that he’s going to start shortening minutes,” Anthony said following Tuesday’s practice on the University of Utah campus. “We’ll see what happens.”
Melo leads the Knicks in minutes (34.5), field goal attempts (19.0), and usage percentage (29.1).
It’s going to be hard for him to take a step back, but with the hopes of a playoff spot diminished he’s come to terms with that.
“I’ve been coming to an understanding with the situation,” he said. “Yeah I understand.”
The Knicks (27-43) are currently tied for the sixth-worst record in the league with Philadelphia.
Per Isola, New York is unlikely to crack the “elite group” of the three worst teams in the NBA: Los Angeles, Brooklyn, and Phoenix.
UCLA star and fan favorite Lonzo Ball will fall somewhere within those three picks. Right now the Knicks and their fans are thinking about where those ping pong balls might fall, but Anthony is still in shock about the season.
The 32-year-old still wants to be out there playing his typical game night, but he understands that things have changed.
“I’ve come to grips with that,” he said. “I’m at peace with that. I’m not happy about it. I’m not satisfied about it. But I’m at peace with it.”