Mike D’Antoni Comes Clean on Carmelo Anthony Forcing Him Out of NY

The worst kept secret ever?

While Mike D’Antoni is enjoying a new situation in Houston, as the coach of James Harden and the Rockets, ESPN the Magazine did a profile this week on the veteran coach and his wife, Laurel.

Days leading up to the 2012 trade deadline, Carmelo Anthony was asking for a trade if D’Antoni remained head coach of the New York Knicks. He alleges that Melo gave the team an ultimatum, with his pending free agency approaching the following season.

After discussing the unfortunate situation with Lauren, Mike decided it was best to walk away from the messy franchise – that would eventually worsen after his departure.

Although one game away from elimination, D’Antoni is in a heated race for NBA coach of the year, following his 55-win season with the Houston Rockets. Take a look at the revelation below.

Mike D’Antoni on the day he decided to leave New York in 2012.

“I just went in and quit,” he says. “Don’t say ‘quit,'” Laurel says. “I hate that word. You resigned. You walked away. Mutually walked away.” Mike rolls his eyes and turns to me. “I quit,” he says. Laurel keeps shaking her head. She has her opinion of what went wrong in New York. And Denver. And Phoenix. And Los Angeles. “And if it doesn’t work here, I’ll just walk away,” Mike jokes. “That’s what I always do.”

Disclaimer: Click HERE for ESPN’s All Their Hoops And Dreams Profile with Mike and Laurel D’Antoni.

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