Phil Jackson's treatment of Carmelo sends loud warning to free agents

However it ends, the story of Carmelo Anthony's tenure with the New York Knicks will go down as a cautionary tale to future free agents.

There need be no more potshots through the media since the cards are on the table: Phil Jackson is determined to uproot Anthony to spark a rebuild. Jackson called up Cleveland, Los Angeles, and Boston hoping for someone to clean up his mess, according to recent reports.

This latest revelation comes as no surprise to anyone who has paid attention. Jackson isn't being forthright with his motives but his agenda is clear after nagging Anthony for months. He lobbed barbs through former assistant Charlie Rosen (Jackson claimed innocence but Anthony saw through the cheap rouse), needlessly needling Anthony's good friend LeBron James, and called his star player a ball hog.

Jackson is making life miserable for his franchise player because Anthony holds a full no-trade clause. He needs Anthony to sign off on any potential move, so he's giving Anthony every reason to leave.

(Keep in mind that it was Jackson who granted that power by agreeing to a no-trade clause in the first place when he signed Anthony in 2014. And as if that wasn't enough, Jackson also tossed in a 15 percent trade kicker to give himself as little flexibility as possible. He created this mess.)

Anthony doesn't want to leave, so he continues to endure punishment. But that begs the question: Is said punishment even warranted?

The Knicks haven't lived up to their outlandish billing as a "superteam" but that's on management, not Anthony who is outplaying everyone else on the roster. What did Jackson give him to work with? A broken and overpaid Joakim Noah, and a past-his-prime Derrick Rose? And how does locking up a 31-year-old figure into Jackson's sudden plans to rebuild?

Night after night, loss after loss, it's Anthony who's accountable to the New York tabloids - not Jackson, who hasn't granted an interview in months (that's probably for the best; Jackson sparks controversy every time he speaks). It's Anthony who has been a positive ambassador for the franchise, who has been a consummate professional on the court, who has delivered more to the Knicks than anyone else since he joined the team in 2012.

When there's a trade rumor or an unflattering column from Rosen, it's always Anthony getting grilled about his future, not Jackson. When Rose went AWOL so too did Jackson while the players - including Anthony - took on questions they didn't have answers to. When the Knicks went into free fall it was once again Anthony speaking for the franchise instead of the NBA's highest-paid executive.

Anthony deserves much better than this.

Anthony has friends around the league. He's the vice-president of the player's union and best pals with fellow VP LeBron James and president Chris Paul. Anthony has connections with Team USA, he's one of the most popular players in the world, and a respected figure around the league.

His voice rings out, and future free agents will be warned. They see how Anthony has been treated.

Jackson squats upon the basketball mecca, but even Gotham City can still use the help. What success have the Knicks had in free agency of late? Overpaying for Noah is nothing to write home about. Inking Plan C Robin Lopez after getting shut down by LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Monroe who signed in tiny markets is not flattering. The Knicks haven't landed an impact free agent - outside of Anthony and one healthy season of Amar'e Stoudemire - in decades.

The Knicks could use some good PR for once, not more of the same melodrama. Dragging Anthony's name through the mud isn't helping.

This isn't even about the direction of the franchise. Electing to trade an aging star to spark a rebuild is totally sensible, it happens all the time. That isn't the issue here. The problem is that the Knicks aren't being fair in how they're going about this sudden transition.

Jackson made his own mess and he should work with Anthony instead of alienating him. Anthony holds all the power anyway with the no-trade clause Jackson gifted him. The league is watching on this one and to the outside, it looks to be more of the same as the dysfunctional Knicks sort out their house.

Good luck to the next star who takes Anthony's place.