NEW YORK (AP) – When Charles Oakley was yanked from his seats and put into handcuffs, the New York Knicks didn’t just embarrass a stalwart from their past.
They may have ensured more futility in their future.
Current and former players and people around the NBA, already puzzled by the Knicks’ treatment this season of Carmelo Anthony, were in disbelief at what they saw happening to Oakley on Wednesday night. The 6-foot-8 former Knick was arrested and dragged away from his seats during a game, and Madison Square Garden chairman a href=’https://apnews.com/6ef13c9582124cbeb45239aed6bcd17f/Dolan-says-MSG-banning-Oakley-after-arrest-at-Knicks-game’James Dolan banned Oakley/a from the arena on Friday. That came after team president a href=’https://apnews.com/d9ce3bc26eab4b49b62ea2114bc9f988/Knicks’-Phil-Jackson-takes-dig-at-Carmelo-Anthony-in-tweet’Phil Jackson tweeted a dig/a about Anthony and his will to win on Tuesday.
“If you’re a (free agent) to be, why would you play for an Owner who treats the past greats like this or a President who stabs star player in the back?” Hall of Fame player Reggie Miller wrote on Twitter .
Free agency is a problem for July. For now, the Knicks (22-33) are stumbling to the Feb. 23 trade deadline.