Mike D'Antoni asked to meet with officials from the Knicks and with James Dolan on Wednesday morning.

D’Antoni asked Dolan if he would be open to trading Anthony before the trade deadline, according to a person briefed on the meeting. When Dolan refused, D'Antoni offered to resign.

The decision to walk away “was absolutely Mike’s,” according to a D’Antoni associate.

“He basically said he didn’t see how he could coach them to success the way it was right now,” the person said, adding, “He didn’t want to get beat up for the next two months or see Melo get beat up for the next two months.”

The departure of D'Antoni stunned Knicks' players, a majority of whom were loyal to him and believed in his system. Many players were angry that D'Antoni may have been forced out.

“The vast majority of our team wouldn’t be in the situation we are without Mike,” said one player, who asked not to be identified because of the Garden’s charged political atmosphere. He added, “If management gets behind Mike and gives Mike a two-year extension, this doesn’t happen.”

The tension that existed between Anthony and D'Antoni, as well as with Anthony and the rest of team, has undermined the morale of the Knicks.

“He had a certain ideal of a system that we were supposed to implement,” Stoudemire said. “We all didn’t quite buy into it, and he got frustrated. And I think that’s why he took his way out.”

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/219783/Source_DAntoni_Made_Resignation_Decision#ixzz1pCJehlPm

classy thing to do.

fishmike wrote:“He basically said he didn’t see how he could coach them to success the way it was right now,” the person said, adding, “He didn’t want to get beat up for the next two months or see Melo get beat up for the next two months.”

classy thing to do.

yeah, when Melo wouldn't make the sacrifice for the team, D'Antoni did.

it's all good because now, without further ado, i unveil to you, the new smiley to rule all smileys...

...who am i kidding??

...it's an interim smiley:

Silverfuel wrote:Let me start by saying I am a Melo fan. I wanted the Knicks to trade for him and even now think we can win with Melo on the Knicks.

Having said that: during the MDA era, early in games, I remember Melo passing the ball and trying to get other players involved. He wouldn't look to shoot as much until after players started missing shots. Now here is the thing, did he stop passing which led to the 3rd or 4th quarter collapses or did he try to take over after the which caused the collapse?

I think that's a chicken/egg thing and impossible to prove. It just wasn't a fit. Melo didn't understand how to thrive within the offense, so he'd go back and forth between being too passive and too aggressive and didn't just play ball. It became really obvious when he was in one mode or the other and easier to defend. He almost never got in the flow. Last night he looked like he was in the flow... ironically running MDA's offense. But he seemed to stop overthinking it.

Que sera.

I think a healthy and motivated Melo gives this team a chance to really hang with Chicago and Miami. They should be the third best team in the conference if they're running on all cylinders. Let's see 'em do it. No more excuses.

eViL wrote:

fishmike wrote:“He basically said he didn’t see how he could coach them to success the way it was right now,” the person said, adding, “He didn’t want to get beat up for the next two months or see Melo get beat up for the next two months.”

classy thing to do.

yeah, when Melo wouldn't make the sacrifice for the team, D'Antoni did.

it's all good because now, without further ado, i unveil to you, the new smiley to rule all smileys...

...who am i kidding??

...it's an interim smiley:

the code for it ought to be [interim]!

gunsnewing wrote:thank you evil! the Just for MEn smily!

REJECTED!

No play for Mister Gray.

Thank you <>< mike

I'm on vacation in Burma right now and just found out about all this crazyness

Portland is an absolute mess right now with their own mutiny ( Felton/crawford vs McMillan ) but really hope that the coaching change will get the entire team defending and on the same page. Owner + gm + coach + stars + role players all on the same page = San Antonio. I pray that we can have that in my frikkin lifetime

gunsnewing wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

Silverfuel wrote:Let me start by saying I am a Melo fan. I wanted the Knicks to trade for him and even now think we can win with Melo on the Knicks.

Having said that: during the MDA era, early in games, I remember Melo passing the ball and trying to get other players involved. He wouldn't look to shoot as much until after players started missing shots. Now here is the thing, did he stop passing which led to the 3rd or 4th quarter collapses or did he try to take over after the which caused the collapse?

I think that's a chicken/egg thing and impossible to prove. It just wasn't a fit. Melo didn't understand how to thrive within the offense, so he'd go back and forth between being too passive and too aggressive and didn't just play ball. It became really obvious when he was in one mode or the other and easier to defend. He almost never got in the flow. Last night he looked like he was in the flow... ironically running MDA's offense. But he seemed to stop overthinking it.

Que sera.

I think a healthy and motivated Melo gives this team a chance to really hang with Chicago and Miami. They should be the third best team in the conference if they're running on all cylinders. Let's see 'em do it. No more excuses.

I don't think it was right to ask melo to change his game. Some players are better off doing what they do best

phil jackson asked both kobe and jordan to change their games, so that sounds false, no offense. isiah admits to changing his game to score less and become more team-oriented to win, etc. lots of players have done it to win.

Bonn1997 wrote:

fishmike wrote:“He basically said he didn’t see how he could coach them to success the way it was right now,” the person said, adding, “He didn’t want to get beat up for the next two months or see Melo get beat up for the next two months.”

classy thing to do.

It sounds classy, BUT he's still getting paid his full salary. It's not like he gave anything up. He just decided to take his salary and go on vacation instead of working.

I thought it was the prudent business move. He removes himself from a abd situation and give himeslf enough time for demand of his services to heat up