NBA All-Star Weekend: Raptors Players Participate, Anthony Addresses Future with the Knicks

Over the last few days, the NBA took time off from games but a select group of players didn’t get any rest as members of this year’s NBA All-Star team.

On Saturday, there was the 2014 Slam Dunk contest with its new format that went to the Eastern Conference team for the win. From the Atlantic Division, Terrence Ross of the Toronto Raptors (28-24) was a participant, working with John Wall (Washington Wizards) and Paul George (Indiana Pacers) in the 90-second freestyle round.

Terrence Ross

Ross also found success in the second round,the Battle Round, as one player from each conference went up one-on-one against another team member. While not pretty, Ross got the winning nod against Portland’s Damian Lillard.

After additional competitions, the winning nod for the Slam Dunk contest went to the Wizard’s Wall while the Houston Rockets’ Marco Belinelli was the 3-point contest winner with 24 points. Joe Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets (24-27) was an Eastern Conference representative but he didn’t make it past the first round after his 11 points.

Up next is Sunday’s game at 8:00 p.m. ET. Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder sits at 3/1 to win the MVP honor, while from the Atlantic Division, Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks sits at 10/1 while DeMar DeRozan of the Raptors and Johnson are 70/1.

While the players came together to play for their respective conferences, it didn’t stop the media from reporting on the Anthony free agency drama: Will he or won’t he remain with the Knicks? Could he be traded?

Carmelo Anthony

On Friday, Anthony said he’d remain with the team and would accept less money should it help the Knicks attract “big-name” free agents. He said via ESPN, “Without a doubt. Any opportunity I have to build that up in New York, I’d do it. I told people all the time, always say, ‘If it takes me taking a pay cut, I’ll be the first one on [Knicks owner] Mr. [James] Dolan’s steps saying take my money and let’s build something strong over here.”

Should Anthony take less money it won’t help the team next season (as they’ll be over the salary cap in 2014) but instead in 2015. Would he be happy for another season on a team that he has publicly said has been frustrating?

Earlier in the week, the question had been posed to his former college coach, Jim Boeheim of Syracuse, should Anthony ask him what he should do for free agency, the veteran said he would advise him to not necessarily stay in New York.

Boeheim said via CBS Sports, “What I’d tell him is what I would tell any NBA great player. If you’re a great player in the NBA, for you to be recognized as a great player you have to win a championship. It’s as simple as that. And I think you have to put yourself in the best position possible to win a championship. LeBron James did it. … And it’s changed the image of LeBron James forever.

“I think you have to be in a place that you have a chance to win a championship. I think Carmelo loves New York, but I would tell him, ‘Let’s try to get some place where you can win this thing.’ ”

In other words, find that place where a championship is a priority.

The Knicks will return from the All-Star break 12 games under .500. Rumors had also been swirling this could lead to the firing of its coach Mike Woodson during this time. Anthony also shot this down on Friday and said he expects his coach at practice on Monday in Memphis as the team will play the Memphis Grizzlies (29-23) on Tuesday.

The Knicks sit at +1200 to win the Atlantic Division this year.