The National Basketball Players Association Executive Director, Michele Roberts, released a statement Saturday slamming New York Knicks president Phil Jackson regarding his comments about his star player Carmelo Anthony, expressing that he'd be better “somewhere else.”
Roberts expressed that she had reached out to NBA commissioner Adam Silver in efforts to resolve the issue, urging for fairness in treatment of the players, per NBA rules.
“We voiced with the commissioner today our view on the inappropriate comments by Knicks president Phil Jackson,” Roberts said in her statement. “If the players cannot, under threat of league discipline, speak openly about their desire to be employed elsewhere, we expect management to adhere to the same standards. The door swings both ways when it comes to demonstrating loyalty and respect.”
This is the third time in 10 weeks in which the NBPA has had to get involved with the Knickerbockers after the constant dysfunction surrounding the franchise.
Roberts had talks with Silver regarding the ongoing friction between Anthony and Jackson in social media and the constant off-handed comments made to local media in efforts to achieve his desired results.
The NBPA also made its voice heard with the treatment of former Knicks legend Charles Oakley, who was arrested and detained following a fiasco involving owner James Dolan back in February.
The complete disarray in the Knicks organization is deterring not only their current players from wanting to play for the team, but also future prospects due to the poor treatment they face through the front office.
Jackson's press conference went from an effort of transparency to a complete debacle, hurting his case for a trade the longer he kept his mouth open — often making back-handed remarks about the fit of his star player in The Big Apple.
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