http://nypost.com/2017/04/14/phil-jackson-tells-the-world-its-time-for-carmelo-to-go/
It really started with Carmelo doing it to himself. He wanted to leave Denver for NY and he wanted the max for himself. It forced the knicks to strip the cupboards bare to obtain him so they could give him the home team max deal. Melo could have just left Denver as a free agant & signed with the Knicks giving up nothing. At that time the Knicks had a nice young nucleus featuring Gallinari and Chandler and Melo would have been a great fit with that group. Instead, it stripped the Knicks of all of their young assets plus future draft picks. They had nothing left to build with & get some pieces around him.
Phil came in and re-signed Carmelo, but as a result of the Denver deal and the Bargnani deal the Knicks still had zero assets. Phil has now been in three years. Last season he gave it a shot to try and win w Melo by acquiring Rose, Jennings, Lee, and Noah plus he had drafted Porzingus. It sure looked like it was going to be a playoff team. Unfortunately, the talent never jelled & the Knicks got worse & worse as the season progressed (until tank time, when, of course, they decided to win a few meaningless games that cost them some ping pong balls).
Phil has certainly made some mistakes. His biggest being the Noah signing, but say what you will, Phil has drafted well when given the chance and he has held onto and even acquired additional draft picks.
For the first time, in terms of young assets and draft picks Phil has the Knicks back to at least ground zero. It will be a multi-year rebuilding process. Melo does not need to be a part of that. I do have an issue with the dis-respect Phil has shown Melo, but maybe there was no other way to get Melo to the point of waiving his no-trade clause.
As a Knick fan and as a Melo fan, I hope the likely soon to be parting of the ways works out well for both parties.