NEW ORLEANS (AP) Carmelo Anthony was looking forward to being somewhere other than New Orleans this weekend.
The New York Knicks’ prolific scorer was certainly not suffering from All-Star envy when he was initially left off of this season’s Eastern Conference roster. In fact, Anthony conceded after an All-Star practice on Saturday that he was ”a little jealous” of friends and family he’d planned to join on a short vacation to Cuba and Puerto Rico during nearly a week off from the regular season.
That was before Commissioner Adam Silver called on ”Melo” to replace injured Cleveland star Kevin Love on the East squad.
At least All-Star weekend happens to be in a world-renowned tourist hot spot – during Mardi Gras, to boot.
Anthony said he was still excited about being an All-Star for a 10th time, adding he still appreciated ”what a big deal it is.”
He added being around other All-Stars, where there are so many other story lines pulling attention and scrutiny away from him, ”is definitely therapy for me.”
”This is a break for me to come here and not have to deal with my situation or our organization,” he said.
It’s just that Anthony was hoping to have time to relax with family this weekend in an environment in which he and loved ones could thoughtfully discuss what might be best for the 32-year-old forward at this point in his career. His Knicks contract, which runs through two more seasons, has a no-trade clause, but he hasn’t ruled out waiving it.
”It’s a conversation that can’t happen overnight,” Anthony said. ”It’s multiple conversations, multiple aspects that play a role in that conversation. So I was looking forward to just kind of getting away from the game and kind of exhale a little bit and re-evaluate my situation. Just kind of get away from all of it.”
There have been reports that LeBron James might like to have Anthony not just as a teammate during Sunday night’s marquee event, but also in Cleveland before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. When the Knicks resume their regular season that same day, they play at Cleveland.
Anthony, averaging 23.4 points per game this season, expects to be playing against the Cavaliers that night.
”I hope so,” Anthony said. ”We’ll see what happens, but I plan on being there.”
Being there is one thing. Which uniform he’s wearing is another. But Anthony isn’t ready to be pinned down on whether a change in clubs would be the best move.
”I honestly don’t know,” Anthony said. ”To say I don’t think about it, I’d be wrong. I’d be lying to you. I think about it. I think about it a lot. I think about kind of what’s best for me, what’s best for the organization. What’s out there. … I do think about that stuff.”
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