Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant remains close friends with Carmelo Anthony of the New York Knicks, but even though it appears likely that Anthony will opt out of his contract and become a free agent at seasons end, Bryant doesn't feel the need to recruit him to join the Lakers, though he said he would give him some advice if he needs it.
The Lakers fell to the Knicks 110-103 Sunday, and Bryant said beforehand that he wouldn't have to sell Anthony on Los Angeles.
"Well, everybody wants to play in Los Angeles," Bryant told ESPN about Anthony's potential interest in joining the Lakers. "I mean New York is a beautiful place, don't get me wrong, but it is colder than s--- out here. You know, palm trees and beaches obviously are a little more appealing."
Bryant added that he would be willing to give his friend advice if he needs any when he becomes a free agent for the first time in his career.
"All jokes aside, I think that players, when that time comes, will have to make the best decision for them and their families," Bryant said via ESPN. "I try not to think about it too much. If he wants to call me for advice later as a friend, I will be more than happy to give it to him."
Anthony has gone back-and-forth on his future, saying that he was excited to become a free agent and hear from other teams and then backtracking and saying that he wanted to retire a Knick.
The seven-time All-Star has downplayed the fact that the Knicks performance this season will be tied to his offseason decisions, despite the fact that he wants to win an NBA Championship and the Knicks are 16-27.
Anthony showed his scoring prowess when he set a scoring record at Madison Square Garden by putting up 62 points on Friday, but he hasn't been able to lead the Knicks past the second round in the playoffs.
Bryant is no stranger to championship success, having won three titles in his first six seasons before going through a seven-year drought en route to winning another one.
"It is hard, from a psychological perspective as a player, you don't want to get too frustrated about things that you can't control," Bryant said per ESPN. "You have to find that balance. At the same time, it is important for the organization to understand the level of competitiveness that you have, that you won't tolerate having a team that is not in contention for an NBA championship, which is what I did. It rubbed a lot of people the wrong way but sometimes you got to kick down a few doors and piss some people off and trust that it will pay off in the long run. If you are willing to do that, more times than not, you will be OK."
It remains to be seen where Anthony will end up by the end of the season, but if he's thinking about joining Los Angeles, he has the option of getting advice from his friend in Bryant.
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