Carmelo Anthony hails Phil Jackson hiring, calls it 'a power move' [VIDEO]

New York Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony is excited about the arrival of Phil Jackson in New York, calling the hiring of the 11-time champion coach a 'power move.'

According to ESPN.com, Anthony expressed excitement on Jackson's entry into the Knicks franchise by saying: "I'm a chess player. That was a power move right there. You know what I mean? So, now we're going to see what's the next move, but that was a great power move."

He added: "Phil knows what to do, how to build teams, and how to win. That's the most important thing. When you know how to win -- whether you're a coach, whether you're in the front office -- that stands out."

Interestingly, Anthony's impending free agency this summer will be among the first issues that Jackson will have to tackle as the Knicks president. ESPN is also reporting that Jackson's contract will run for five years giving him an annual salary of $12 million.

While Anthony can sign with a longer and higher contract with the Knicks, it remains to be seen how Jackson's entry will influence his decision to either re-sign with New York or play somewhere else. Anthony has also expressed his desire to sit down with Jackson to know more about the franchise's plans before making his decision.

Other Knicks players were in agreement that Jackson's entry will benefit the franchise. Said forward Amar'e Stoudemire: "With his pedigree, he's a champion, he's a leader. He knows what it takes to win and he's been around great organizations that have been successful. So hopefully that same input will be placed here in New York."

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