Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis told the New York Daily News' Frank Isola he is confident he can take over as the face of the franchise after New York traded Carmelo Anthony to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday.

"I am ready for the challenge," Porzingis told Isola. "I've been preparing myself for this moment."

In his first interview since returning to the United States, the Knicks' former first-round draft pick talked about what having Anthony as a teammate meant to him, discussed his relationship with head coach Jeff Hornacek and explained why he worked out on his own this offseason in Larvia.

SNY's Taylor Rooks is joined by ESPN's Ian Begley and the NY Daily News' Stefan Bondy to discuss Carmelo Anthony's trade to the Oklahoma City Thunder on GEICO SportsNite.

Jake Brown | Twitter |

The Knicks have moved on from the Carmelo Anthony era and all the drama is done with. They brought Enes Kanter and Doug McDermott back to New York.

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim says Phil Jackson "chased" Carmelo Anthony out of New York and that the forward's addition automatically makes the Oklahoma City Thunder a threat to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA's Western Conference.

"They've got two top-10 players [in Russell Westbrook and Paul George] and Carmelo, who's No. 60 or whatever they got him rated," Boeheim, who coached Anthony to the 2003 NCAA championship, told SNY.tv by phone on Saturday. "I think he's still a top player, and I think Russell and Paul George make it easier for him to be able to do what he does."

The reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors remain the team to beat but with the Knicks agreeing to deal Anthony to the Thunder in exchange for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round pick, the Thunder have inched closed to the Warriors. The trade was first reported by ESPN, and confirmed to SNY.tv by a league source.

The Knicks have agreed to deal Carmelo Anthony to the Thunder for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-round pick, reports ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

According to Wojnarowski, Anthony will waive his trade kicker -- which was worth $8.1 million -- to make the trade happen. ESPN's Bobby Marks reports Anthony will sign a letter of authorization to finalize the deal.

This comes one day after Anthony expanded his desired teams list to include the Cavaliers and Thunder, per Wojnarowski. 

Kanter, who has an $18.6 million player option for the 2018-19 season, averaged 14.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last year at the center position. A 2014 1st-round pick, McDermott has totaled eight points per contest in his first three NBA seasons.

Jake Brown | Twitter | The Knicks definitely took a risk when they went with French point guard Frank Ntilikina with the 8th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. They decided to pass up on two 19-year-old talented guards in Dennis Smith, Jr. and Malik Monk -- a decision that left some Knicks fans scratching their heads. They decided to go with more of an unknown.

The decision to draft more of an unknown paid off well in 2015 when the Knicks took 7'3" Latvian Kristaps Porzingis. While fans booed the pick on draft day, it has now been all cheers for the big man who has become the cornerstone of the franchise.

Will this year's unknown work out as well?

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- The Triangle Offense left New York in June when Phil Jackson was fired, but the Knicks made it official as training camp is about to begin.

Asked if the triangle was dead, Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said Friday: "The style that guys are liking to play is a little bit different. We're going to open it up and get some different things out there. The biggest thing for us is to try to put our guys in the best position. Whether it's post-ups, if it's outside shooting 3-pointers, you look at the roster, you look at the player's strengths and you try to build from there."

OK, so Hornacek never used the word "triangle," but it's clear he will return to the high-tempo attack he used in Phoenix...

Carmelo Anthony is expected at Knicks training camp come Monday, but the team's front office hasn't ruled out trading him.

"Our plan is that Carmelo will be with us on Monday on marketing day and media day and be with us on Tuesday when we start practicing," Knicks president Steve Mills said Friday at the team's training facility.

The Knicks were unable to move Anthony this summer, but new GM Scott Perry said he's still fielding calls. Portland and Houston are among the teams that have been linked to Anthony, who has two years and approximately $54 million remaining on his contract...

Knicks president Steve Mills said the plan is for Carmelo Anthony to be with the team for the foreseeable future.

"Our plan is that Carmelo will be with us on Monday (at media day). ... and be with us on Tuesday when we start practice," Mills said on Friday.

Jake Brown | Twitter | There's no reason for the Knicks to commit to Carmelo Anthony's future. Everyone knows the rumors, and Anthony has made it clear he wants to be traded. Scott Perry and Steve Mills would be doing everyone a disservice if they acted like it's a definite that he will be here. And with media day and training camp getting underway next week, they know that now is the time trade talks are ramping up.

Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek said he and forward Kristaps Porzingis have a "great relationship" despite a report indicating the 22-year-old forward skipped his exit interview due to him instead of former team president Phil Jackson.

"KP and I have a good relationship," Hornacek said on Friday. "Moving forward, he's going to get a lot of opportunities to grow into that lead position. We're just excited to get back to coaching him."

Jake Brown | Twitter | Luckily, Jeff Hornacek isn't going to be on Maury and given a lie detector test. Peter Vecsey has been covering the NBA for a long time and I highly doubt he would just make that story up. It's hard to actually believe that the relationship was 'good' between Kristaps Porzingis and Hornacek. If it was good, it may have been because Hornacek was going through Willy Hernangomez to get to Porzingis like a game of telephone.

Knicks President Steve Mills never mentioned Carmelo Anthony in a blog he wrote describing the team's outlook under new leadership.

"Reshaping the Knicks as a championship contender will be a step-by-step process, and along the way, the plan will demand patience, as our young core of Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Willy Hernangómez, Frank Ntilikina and Ron Baker mature," Mills wrote on MSG's website.

Jake Brown | Twitter | The story that has surrounded the Knicks all offseason has been Carmelo Anthony. Will he somehow stay with the Knicks or will he go to a contender? Most people believe a deal will eventually get done, either before the season or sometime during the season.

Anthony has made it pretty clear that he wants to go to the Houston Rockets. In fact, according to Frank Isola of the NY Daily News, Melo and his camp are "cautiously optimistic" a deal could get done before Monday. If not, next week could be a circus.

The issue will continue to be whether the Rockets are the right trade partner for the Knicks. If not, the dilemma becomes Anthony accepting going elsewhere, which seems like a lost cause right now.

Knicks C Joakim Noah "looks great" as he prepares for the upcoming season, teammate Michael Beasley says.

"I mean, he's cut up. He's got 25 abs right now," Beasley said, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. "He's in shape. Y'all know he's strong as hell."

Noah, who has been practicing and working out at the Knicks' training facility, will be suspended for the first 12 games of the season following his failed drug test last season.

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- Jarrett Jack could play many roles with the Knicks this season.

Or he could play none at all.

If Jack, 33, is fully healthy after recovering from a torn ACL and meniscus in 2016 with the Nets, he could potentially be the team's starting point guard.

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. -- Michael Beasley says he "would love New York to be my home," but he's not here to replace Carmelo Anthony.

The 28-year-old Beasley, a former No. 2 pick in the NBA Draft, signed a one-year, $2.1 million contract with the Knicks in August for the NBA's veteran minimum. Some speculate that he was brought in as a primary scorer -- something he's always done well -- in the event the Knicks trade Anthony. But he says that isn't the case.

"I don't think of that at all," Beasley, who has career averages of 9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds, said Tuesday at the Knicks' training facility. "I don't know what's going on. I don't watch anybody else's saga but my own and I'm looking forward to playing with Carmelo. Anything else is the organization and the coaches and him but I'm looking forward to having a great year with Melo and finally making the playoffs."

Jake Brown | Twitter |

The Knicks have enough point guards going into training camp for an entire starting lineup, with the addition of veteran Jarrett Jack leaving the team with five point guards on the roster. That means a few things.

For one, if anybody gets hurt or is ineffective, they have options. Having options and depth is never really a bad thing. This also means we're going to see times where the Knicks go with two true point guards in the backcourt at the same time off the bench. Let's take a look at the five point guards on the roster and what each of them will bring to the table in the 2017-2018 season...

It has been a wild ride to the NBA for the Knicks' newest G Damyean Dotson after sexual assault allegations in college almost ruined his dream. 

Dotson initially attended Oregon to start his collegiate career. However, it would end after two years when an 18-year-old claimed Dotson, along with teammates Dominic Artis and Brandon Austin, sexually assaulted her at a party in March 2014. No charges were filed due to insufficient evidence, but the three were expelled from Oregon for violating the student conduct code. 

Dotson would spend the next year at Houston Community College, and took anger management classes at the John Lucas Center and Wellness Program. 

"His story is that of a comeback," John Lucas told The Post's Zach Braziller. "There are obviously people that got hurt. He has a second chance to get a first chance right." 

He may not be the Carmelo Anthony from his prime, but Warriors F Draymond Green doesn't believe Melo should have been ranked the 64th best player in the NBA.

ESPN released their latest Top 100 rankings of players in the NBA, and Anthony fell drastically to No. 64. Green admits Melo's play isn't the same as it was years before, but his drop in the rankings is not right. 

"I think when you look at Melo, Melo has been a great player in this league for some time now," Green told ESPN.com. "Obviously I think no one thinks that he's the Melo he was five years ago, and that happens to everyone. That's just the nature of the career that we've all chosen."

"At some point, you start to slow down and you're not who you once were. So, I'm not going to sit here and lie and act like he is the Melo he was five years ago, but the 64th-best player in the NBA? All right, five years ago he was maybe sixth. He ain't f-ing 64 [now]."

PG Jarrett Jack has signed with the Knicks, the team announced Friday.

The deal will not be fully guaranteed, according to ESPN.

The veteran point guard has played for seven NBA teams and most recently wrapped up a brief second stint with the New Orleans Pelicans. He spent 2014-15 and 2015-16 with the Brooklyn Nets.

Knicks F Kristaps Porzingis is ranked 22nd on ESPN's NBA player rankings.

Carmelo Anthony, who was ranked 64th, slammed the rankings.

Porzingis, who was ranked 33rd prior to last season, is one spot ahead of Grizzlies PG Mike Conley and one spot behind Raptors PG Kyle Lowry.

Former Knicks PG Stephon Marbury is eyeing a return to the NBA, he announced on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Marbury told the Associated Press that he has had some preliminary talks with a team about the move.

"I've spoken to a team," Marbury said. "It's still premature right now, but I'm open to coming back and trying to play that veteran leadership role. ... For myself it's a perfect ending being able to mend ties. It will be a team that I will be able to help and I'm looking forward to it. It's a great opportunity to be at my age to be able to hoop. I'm thankful for that. A lot of people can't walk at my age."

Knicks star F Carmelo Anthony took to Twitter on Tuesday to criticize ESPN after he was ranked 64th in their #NBA Rank Top 100 NBA player rankings. 

Anthony fell drastically from last year's rankings as he was No. 31 last season. 

Knicks legend Charles Oakley has filed a civil suit stemming from an incident involving his ejection from a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden in February, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.

The suit names Knicks owner James Dolan, Madison Square Garden Company, and MSG Sports & Entertainment.

Oakley, who was arrested for five charges in a scuffle with Dolan and MSG security, agreed to a plea deal in August when he accepted a conditional dismissal agreement that would require him not to go to Madison Square Garden for one year.

Portland Trail Blazers star PG Damian Lillard admitted to having a hard time recruiting Knicks SF Carmelo Anthony to waive his no-trade clause. 

This offseason, several teams have tried to lure Anthony to waive his no-trade clause to join their team including the Blazers. However, Lillard told The Undefeated that it is hard to change Melo's mind. 

"I didn't want to press him," Lillard said. "I ain't a big fan of doing all the extra recruiting and all that stuff. And I guess they call it tampering or whatever. It's not against the rules for us to interact with each other."

"We all peers, we all play in the same league and everybody hints at playing with each other. 'What you think about this?' 'What do you think about that?' All that matters is whether it got done or did not get done. Or hasn't got done, and it hasn't got done. So, it is what it is."

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony was seen playing pick-up basketball alongside Houston Rockets guards James Harden and Chris Paul on Monday at Life Time Athletic at Sky in New York City.

Several other NBA players were playing in the game, including the Knicks' Lance Thomas, Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and Enes Kantor, Cleveland's Iman Shumpert and Toronto's Serge Ibaka.

Knicks SF Carmelo Anthony is staying in touch with his teammates playing in the European Championships, including F Kristaps Porzingis. 

Though both the Knicks and Anthony seem to be on the same page of parting ways before the season, Melo is continuing to stay in contact with his current teammates for the time being.

According to David Pick, Anthony has been "sending texts of encouragement" to Porzingis, SF Mindaugas Kuzminskas, and C Willy Hernangomez who are playing with their native countries. 

Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis helped lead Latvia to the Eurobasket quarterfinals on Sunday with a 100-68 win over Montenegro.

Porzingis recorded 19 points, six rebounds and three assists for Latvia, which will play Slovenia in the next round on Tuesday. If Latvia wins, they would play the winner of Spain-Germany in the semifinals on Thursday. The championship game is set for Saturday.

Porzingis' Knicks teammates Willy Hernangomez and Mindaugas Kuzminskas also competed for Spain and Lithuania, respectively.

Oklahoma City Thunder C Enes Kanter spoke on his time playing with Knicks SF Carmelo Anthony's alter ego, "Hoodie Melo," on Timeout with Taylor Rooks. 

Kanter has been scrimmaging against Anthony and many others at the Knicks' star's gym in Manhattan all summer, and he has learned first-hand what it is like to play against 'Hoodie Melo."

Anthony has been seen working out and playing pick-up games with a hoodie on, and Kanter believes the attire gives him a mental boost. 

Members of the Knicks coaching staff and others in the organization view point guard Trey Burke as a possible free agent acquisition, reports Ian Begley of ESPN.

Burke averaged five points per game and 1.8 assists per game in 57 games for the Wizards last season. Burke was drafted by the Timberwolves in 2013 and was immediately traded to the Jazz, with whom he spent the first three seasons of his career.

The 24-year-old put up better numbers during his tenure in Utah, averaging 12 points and 4.2 assists per game. He started 111 of his 210 games in Utah.

Burke won the 2014 Skills Challenge alongside Damian Lillard when the two edged out Victor Oladipo and Michael-Carter Williams.

Knicks F Carmelo Anthony revealed why New York will always have a special place in his heart, per NY Daily News' Zachary Ripple. 

Sports Illustrated shared a video where Anthony speaks on his New York City roots and how it has shaped his career. The 15-year veteran has spent six years with the Knicks, but he admits it hasn't felt that way. 

"It don't feel like 6-and-a-half years," Anthony said. "It's a long time, it's a long time."

Knicks F Kristaps Porzingis has been the star of the Latvian national team at the European Championships, per The Post's Marc Berman.  

Latvia has been surprising teams like Russia, who they defeated in a stunner 84-69 on Tuesday to secure a 3-1 record in Group D as they head into the elimination round. 

Porzingis only played 24 minutes in Tuesday's game due to foul trouble, but still managed 11 points and four rebounds in the contest. In the other games, he has been the star of the show averaging 24 points in the first four games of the tournament. 

Fellow teammates C Willy Hernangomez and SF Mindaugas Kuzminskas are also heding to the elimination round with Spain and Lithuania respectively. Kuzminskas is the leading scorer for Lithuania as he is averaging 16.3 points per game while hitting 40 percent from beyond the arc...

The New York Knicks and Houston Rockets remain "not close" on a potential deal involving Carmelo Anthony, and the Knicks have told people around the league that the Rockets don't have assets that appeal to them, according to ESPN's Ian Begley.

Anthony has said during the offseason he wanted to be traded and the only team he would waive his no-trade clause would be to Houston so he could join James Harden and Chris Paul, however no progress has been made since the two teams re-engaged in trade talks last month.

Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez are thriving for their respective countries (Latvia and Spain) at this year's FIBA EuroBasket as they prepare for this year's NBA season. 

Porzingis notched 28 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in Monday's action against Great Britain on Monday. In a loss on Saturday, where he scored 27 points, Porzingis noted that he could to better for his team. 

Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina headed to the Bronx and met with players before Sunday night's Yankees-Red Sox matchup. 

The 19-year-old spent some of the pregame hanging out on the field and chatted with players during batting practice.

"I've watched a lot of baseball since I am here. They don't play that much baseball in France, but since I started watching it, I've liked it from the beginning and I am really excited," he told reporters. "I want to watch at least one game before starting the season and now I'm enjoying this.

"It's a lot of fun watching. I tried to hit some balls, but I am really bad at it. So I am excited to watch the game, meet some players and obviously see a big matchup."

Knicks rookie guard Frank Ntilikina told reporters on Sunday he has been working out with fellow New York teammates Carmelo Anthony and Lance Thomas, according to ESPN's Ian Begley.

Last week, Ntilikina was recorded practicing alongside Anthony and Tim Hardaway Jr.

By reclassifying into the Class of 2017, top basketball recruit Marvin Bagley III made himself eligible to be drafted next summer.

Originally projected to be the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2018, Bagley reclassified into the Class of 2017 and announced he would join Duke for the 2017-18 season.

Bagley completed his high school requirements a year early and graduated from Sierre Canyon High School in Los Angeles in August. A 6-foot-11, 220-pound forward, Bagley also took official visits to UCLA and USC, according to ESPN.

The 18-year-old Bagley is expected to be one of several big names in the 2018 NBA Draft, according to Forbes, including Michael Porter Jr. and Luka Doncic.

Golden State Warriors star F Kevin Durant continues to take jabs at the Knicks -- this time aiming at owner James Dolan. 

In an interview with The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Durant believes the Knicks have plummeted because of how Dolan disregards basketball decisions. 

"Everything starts at the top, you have bad leadership, and it's just going to trickle down to everybody else," Durant said. "When a GM wants to make a decision, he has to talk to the owner and he's nowhere to be found and he don't care then you kind of stuck and that causes tension."

However, Durant does like the atmosphere that Madison Square Garden provides...

According to former NBA TV analyst Peter Vecsey, Knicks star F Kristaps Porzingis skipped his exit interview last season because of head coach Jeff Hornacek, not Phil Jackson. 

In his article published Tuesday night, Vescey explains how Hornacek dealt with how Porzingis acted on and off the court last season. 

"Porzingis' swagger swelled in direct proportion to his mounting stature with the Knicks and within the NBA," Vescey wrote. "He resented being singled out for criticism and acted out accordingly. He developed an annoying habit, for example, of parking in spots at the team's practice facility designated for management."

Knicks F Kyle O'Quinn will not have charges pressed against him by the Manhattan district attorney's office from an altercation in Zuccotti Park last May, per NY Daily News' Christina Carrega. 

The incident occurred on May 22, 2016 where O'Quinn allegedly assaulted 23-year-old Shakaira Elie outside Zuccotti Park in downtown Manhattan.

In her Brooklyn Supreme Court lawsuit, Elie said O'Quinn struck a conversation with her in the Trinity Place Bar and Restaurant, which made his girlfriend angry. She went on to assault Elie outside the bar. 

Elie and her friends proceeded to assault O'Quinn's girlfriend and take her purse at Zuccotti Park, according to court documents. Elie said that her purse was stolen by O'Quinn and she reported the brawl to the police...

Former Knicks PG Derrick Rose says his only year in New York was more confusing on the court than off of it, per NY Daily News' Stefan Bondy. 

The triangle offense that former president Phil Jackson tried to implement into the Knicks' system was confusing for Rose to learn, and he admitted he didn't understand it throughout the season.

"On the court was when it was the craziest to me," Rose told the Associated Press. "Some of the strategies and all that, I didn't understand. it was confusing. It was just a learning experience."

Former Knicks G Sasha Vujacic signed a deal with Italian team Fiat Torino, the team announced on Tuesday. 

Vujacic spent the past two seasons with the Knicks. He signed a veteran minimum deal with the team last season. 

The 33-year-old was brought in to fit former president Phil Jackson's triangle offense. However, with the Knicks wanting to rebuild younger, Vujacic may not have seen much time on the floor if he were to resign with the team this year. 

Vujacic played in 61 games his first season in New York, but saw time in only 42 games (four starts) last season. He only averaged three points and 1.2 assists in 9.7 minutes per game. 

Mallory Edens, the daughter of Milwaukee Bucks owner Wes Edens, has her eyes on the Knicks.

"I want to buy the Knicks one day," Edens recently told TMZ Sports.

"I don't need to swap (teams), my dad can keep the Bucks," Edens added.

Fomer Knicks president and coach, Isiah Thomas, doesn't believe former Knicks president Phil Jackson's legacy has been hurt due to his inability to win in New York.

Thomas, who currently serves as the presiden to the WNBA's New York Liberty, knows how hard it is to win in New York having had a tough time with the Knicks in his tenure. With Jackson hailed as one of the greatest coaches of all time, Thomas doesn't see his stint in New York tarnishing all he has accomplished in the game. 

"There've been a lot of us who have come through New York that want to do well," Thomas said on The MMA Hour radio show in Las Vegas. "For whatever reason we didn't do well. I look at Phil before he got to New York -- how he was respected in the game. And that's the Phil Jackson I choose to remember. That's on the real."

Thomas wanted to hire Jackson to coach the Knicks in 2005, but he turned down the offer. He still ponders what he did wrong with the Knicks, but knows that New York is the hardest city to please... 

New York Knicks president Steve Mills omitted forward Carmelo Anthony when talking about the franchise's new vision in a blog post.

In a post titled "A New Day For The Knicks -- The Journey Begins," Mills said the team plans to build around young players Kristaps Porzingis, Willy Hernangomez, first-round pick Frank Ntilikina and the recently-signed Tim Hardaway Jr., but made no mention of Anthony, who has requested a trade to the Rockets despite having two years and $54 million remaining on his contract.

"[Ntilikina], Porzingis and Hardaway, along with Hernangómez and Ron Baker will exemplify a new defensive mindset that puts a premium on making stops," Mills wrote. "Only from there can a productive offense flow. We will emphasize ball movement, body movement, spacing and screening, while understanding that these changes will be a work in progress. We may not be there at first, but that's the brand of ball our players will aspire to fulfill."

Knicks F Carmelo Anthony was left out of the Knicks' season ticket plan that they posted on social media on Thursday night.

Kristaps Porzingis, Frank Ntilikina and Willy Hernangomez were the three players featured on the teaser. 

As Kristaps Porzingis continues his training in an effort to improve before the 2017-18 season begins, he's adding in a new workout regimen to his plan. 

Porzingis tweeted out a video of him working on some MMA-style moves in a gym this week. 

On Loud Mouths, Jon Hein and Marc Malusis break down the Kyrie Irving trade and discuss if the Knicks missed an opportunity to acquire him.

Irving was traded to the Celtics earlier this week in exchange for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and the Brooklyn Nets' 2018 unprotected first-round pick, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.

The Knicks were among several teams to make an offer for Irving, the 25-year-old former No. 1 draft pick, however New York was unwilling to trade Kristaps Porzingis as part of a deal and the Cavaliers wanted a package of younger talent and draft picks as opposed to Carmelo Anthony, whose name was among the rumors.

The Knicks are interested in signing free agent guards Jarrett Jack and Archie Goodwin, reports ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. 

According to Youngmisuk, New York would like to add some "veteran presence" to the team, both on and off the court. In June, the Knicks selected 18-year-old French star Frank Ntilikina with their pick in the first-round on the NBA Draft.

Any chance of the team adding Kyrie Irving in a trade with the Cavaliers fell through when Cleveland sent the guard to the Celtics in a deal on Tuesday night.