Oakley thinks Carmelo should leave New York: 'He deserves better'

It's no secret that former NBA enforcer Charles Oakley has had his fair share of issues with the New York Knicks as of late, stemming from a February incident where he was forcibly removed from the stands at Madison Square Garden during a game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The franchise's star player, Carmelo Anthony, is also on shaky ground with the organization, as his relationship with team president Phil Jackson may be damaged beyond repair.

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While it's unclear whether Oakley is looking out for the 32-year-old's best interests, or he simply wants the Knicks to suffer, he feels Anthony would be better off cutting ties with the franchise and finding greener pastures elsewhere.

"I think he's got a lot left (in the tank). I think he just needs to get out of New York. He needs to go somewhere to a team that's on the bubble, a team that needs another scorer like OKC (Thunder) or Clippers. There's a lot of teams that can use him," Oakley said to TMZ at a BTIG charity event in the Big Apple Tuesday.

"I think he just needs a change. This city is just, you know, so much going on with management. You know, you deserve better, but you have to speak up for yourself."

Anthony has a no-trade clause written into his contract, giving him the power to dictate whether or not the Knicks ship him off. He's locked in through next season for $26.2 million, with an option in 2018-19 for $27.9 million.

New York failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth year in a row after finishing the campaign with a 31-51 record. Anthony suited up for 74 games, averaging 22.4 points and 5.9 rebounds on 43.3 percent shooting in 34.3 minutes.