Carmelo Anthony: Why Knicks, Klutch Sports Reconciliation Matters
As one of seven to score at least 10,000 points in a New York Knicks uniform, Carmelo Anthony knows about clutch antics in Manhattan. He appears to be equally verbose in Klutch affairs as well.
Anthony addressed the rumored reconciliation between the New York Knicks and Klutch Sports, the renowned agency run by Rich Paul, in the latest edition of his “7PM in Brooklyn” podcast. If the two sides have truly let bygones be bygones, the future Hall-of-Famer believes that all parties will benefit.
“Relationships are important … and that was the best relationship at one point in time,” Anthony said. “Then it gets completely (messed) up, dismantled. So this is years and years and years and years of people having to pick sides, and ‘I can’t talk to this person’ … because everybody’s in the same circle."
Adam Hunger, USA TODAY SPORTS
Reports have surfaced that Paul's Klutch clients had been reluctant to deal with the Knicks thanks to the prescience of team president Leon Rose, Anthony's former representative and the former head of Creative Artists Agency. Paul had worked under Rose at CAA before founding Klutch in 2012.
A report from Stefan Bondy of the New York Post revealed that the two sides met in February to settle their differences and potentially open the door to negotiations later this offseason. Paul's expansive client list includes Malcolm Brogdon, Anthony Davis, Zach LaVine, Tyrese Maxey, Dejounte Murray, and longtime friend LeBron James.
Anthony believes that cooler heads will benefit each side.
"To patch that energy up and come to peace, like, we’re men now and going to figure this out. … You have to, because no matter what, you need New York," he continued. "You can’t go around New York. You can try to, but you've got to come back here, especially when you’re in certain industries."
"When you’re in music, when you’re in f—ing sports, you gotta come through New York. So when you have no relationship with the Knicks, you ain’t got no relationship around. Your relationship game ain’t strong around the NBA."
The Knicks have had trouble landing established superstars but Jalen Brunson's breakout and several acquisitions from abroad have heightened hopes and made Manhattan a more attractive destination. Time will tell if the Knicks will be able to reap the fruits of Rose and Paul's supposed sowing.
