With the trade deadline having passed and the Knicks standing pat, a careful Carmelo Anthony said he wasn’t “disappointed’’ at the lack of activity because he had low expectations, but hopes some of the rumored departees can now step up their game.
Anthony said he has no other choice but to believe in the assembled cast as it looks to make a playoff push starting Friday night against the Nets.
“We have to believe in what we have right now,’’ Anthony said at the morning shootaround at Barclays Center, just a few miles from where he was raised.
“We didn’t make any moves for whatever reasons. I got to believe in this group even more now.’’
The Knicks were shopping the pacts of Jose Calderon and Kyle O’Quinn to try to clear cap space and make a backcourt upgrade. A source told The Post president Phil Jackson was never keen on making a deadline move, figuring free agency was his next splash after firing coach Derek Fisher. The Knicks could sign a player waived this week instead of going with a D-League prospect to fill their open roster spot. Interim coach Kurt Rambis added they are looking for “somebody who can make a contribution.’’
The post-deadline vibe, Anthony said, could help.
“I’m pretty sure guys who were under the impression something was going to happen, with nothing happening, it kind of takes a load off them,’’ Anthony said. “So now I’m hoping the guys who were in those situations that they feel a little bit at ease and can go out there and play ball.’’
The Knicks are 23-32, in 12th place in the Eastern Conference and five games out of the final playoff spot. Four teams ahead of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings made moves – Detroit, Washington, Orlando and Charlotte. Anthony smiled when asked about that factor.
“I don’t want to say discouraging or disappointing, but I really don’t know what we could’ve done,’’ Anthony said. “I don’t know the logistics of what could’ve happened or why it didn’t happen.’’
Anthony admitted he was debriefed by GM Steve Mills on Wednesday and told not to anticipate a move.
“I wasn’t expecting us to do anything, especially over the last couple of days I didn’t hear anything imminent,’’ Anthony said. “I was under the impression nothing was going to happen.”
Neither Jackson nor Mills was made available for comment.
“We didn’t feel there was anything financially or player-wise that would benefit this team on what was viable or offered to us,” Rambis said. “Whatever we explored, it just didn’t feel it would benefit our team.’’
And so now Anthony is going to have to raise his level. Rambis raved about Anthony being more of a team player on offense, but said he would like Anthony to rebound more and bring the ball upcourt to get the club into transition.
“I got to do everything and more,’’ Anthony said. “It’s win or go home at this point. No excuses now for myself or anyone else. We got to tighten this thing up and make a push.’’
Anthony missed the Knicks’ last game in Brooklyn with a sprained ankle, one of the seven losses against zero wins the team has when Anthony sits. Despite lingering left-knee soreness, Anthony vowed to play in all of the final 27 games.
So far, so good, after two practices coming off the All-Star break.
“It’s gotten better,’’ Anthony said. “I’m pretty sure the week I was able to take off and get away from basketball and rehab was helpful. Last two practices we had, I felt it, but nothing major. I was able to get through both full practices and no reaction to that.’’