NBA Rumors: New York Knicks Forcing Arron Afflalo Departure

NBA rumors are swirling around Arron Afflalo. Since being benched by New York Knicks interim head coach Kurt Rambis, the 30-year-old shooting guard has publicly voiced his displeasure about the situation. Afflalo has an option in his contract that will enable him to become a free agent this upcoming summer. According to the New York Post, there is a chance that the Knicks are purposely frustrating Afflalo because they want him to leave. The additional cap space would be useful in signing a maximum contract player.

Two different stories are floating around right now. According to Kurt Rambis, he not only informed Arron Afflalo about the benching, the two of them also had a very long discussion about it. When asked about the situation, Afflalo flat-out stated that Rambis had never spoken with him about the benching. It simply happened, and Afflalo had no choice but to accept what Rambis decides to do.

Though not the popular choice with New York Knicks fans, Kurt Rambis wants very badly to remove the “interim” title and take over as the permanent head coach. He has a strong supporter in Knicks president Phil Jackson. As most NBA fans know by now, Jackson wants someone that believes in the Triangle Offense to be the head coach in New York. If people believe that Rambis would bench a veteran without having a discussion with him, then Kurt’s reputation takes a hit, as would his chances of getting the job full time.

Giving Kurt Rambis the full-time head coaching job would certainly seal the end of Arron Afflalo and his tenure with the New York Knicks. Rather than opting in for $8 million, the former UCLA Bruins star would try to seek a comparable contract elsewhere in the NBA. Afflalo has a very good chance to do that because the salary cap in the National Basketball Association is rising tremendously after this season.

Even before the bad shooting streak and benching took place, there were already those within the New York Knicks organization that were secretly rooting for Arron Afflalo to not opt into his contract. While he is liked in the locker room and on the floor, the Knicks value the extra salary cap space even more because it enables them to find a maximum level player that can be of great assistance to Carmelo Anthony.

The departure of Arron Afflalo might have a negative effect on Carmelo Anthony. The two of them are very close friends. Their bond was formed when Afflalo and Anthony were both members of the Denver Nuggets. The opportunity to play with Carmelo again was a big reason why Arron chose to sign with the New York Knicks in free agency.

Those that study analytic stats believe that Arron Afflalo leaving would be a good thing for Carmelo Anthony on the court. Whenever Afflalo struggles to shoot, it affects Anthony because he likes passing to his good friend. Phil Jackson was able to finally convince Carmelo to trust his teammates. If Arron (or anyone else) keeps missing wide open shots, then Anthony might revert back to his old ways of constantly looking for his own shot before anything else.

While it might not sit too well with fans if management admits that they forced a player to walk away in free agency, all will be forgiven if the New York Knicks can win their first NBA Championship since the 1970s. If losing Arron Afflalo means picking up someone like Kevin Durant, who might leave the Oklahoma City Thunder for a bigger market team like the Knicks, then Phil Jackson and Kurt Rambis will be forgiven.

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