SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It was equivalent to a job interview. Metta World Peace, who lives in Beverly Hills, ran up to Phil Jackson’s Staples Center suite during halftime from his courtside seat for a chat Tuesday night during the Knicks’ 127-96 blowout loss to the Lakers.
World Peace is more than a month removed from a Knicks buyout — one he wouldn’t have asked for had he known the Zen Master was waiting in the wings as team president.
World Peace has told confidants he yearns for a second chance as a Knick after his first stint went sour. When asked if the former Ron Artest wants another shot at New York when he’s a free agent this summer, the confidant told The Post:
“Abso-bleeping-lutely.’’
World Peace spent four seasons with the Lakers — two with Jackson, including winning the NBA title in 2009-10. The defensive forward is seeking a veteran’s minimum deal at $1.4 million. Under the terms of his buyout, The Post reported World Peace received $250,000 of the $1.6 million he had coming. That’s basically the difference between that salary and the veteran minimum he’s hoping to receive.
Jackson is fond of World Peace and has told reporters in the past how it’s difficult to get him off the practice court. Nevertheless, Jackson gave some mixed-bag assessments of the Queensbridge product in his 2013 book, “Eleven Rings.’’
Jackson referred to Metta’s “unpredictability’’; alleged he tweeted he had signed with the Lakers before the deal was official and they still were courting Trevor Ariza; and wrote that though he practiced his jumper religiously, “the only problem was that every day he would shoot with a different style.’’ Jackson said when he pointed it out to World Peace, the player got defensive.
Despite his arthritic knee issues, World Peace told The Post recently he feels he can play two more seasons. He asked for a buyout because he was told not to attempt being a leader in the locker room. The Knicks filled his roster spot with Earl Clark, but since then, didn’t renew Clark’s 10-day deal.
The Knicks, who are 30-42 with 10 games remaining, have clinched a losing record with the loss to the Lakers — a foregone conclusion since the All-Star break.
Carmelo Anthony, who never has missed the playoffs, also never was on a team with a losing regular-season record — until now.
“I’ve never been in that situation before, especially coming off of a 50-something-plus win season,” Anthony said before the Knicks’ 107-99 win over the Kings. “We were hoping that we could build off that momentum that we had last year and knowing how good it felt to start something by winning 54 games. Now to have 29 wins, the tables have turned.”