New York Knicks

Fat Joe is flat-out pissed at Phil Jackson for turning his beloved New York Knicks into a dumpster fire ... and now he's legitimately worried he'll DIE before they start winning again.

We spoke with Joe Crack about the Knicks prez trying to trade star Kristaps Porzingis (among many other questionable decisions) ... and he says P.J. has no business being in the front office, 'cause he "stunk up the place."

"I hope I'm alive when we're good, it's just that f**ked up." Joe says. "The whole s**t is messed up."

If you're a NY Knick who's NOT from Latvia, pack your bags ... 'cause Shaq thinks it's time for you to go.

The NBA legend was at an American Express Teamed Up event in NYC on Tuesday when we asked about reports that Phil Jackson is taking calls about possibly dealing away Kristaps Porzingis.

"Keep Porzingis and trade everybody else around him," Shaq said.

"Try to build around him. This kid's got a great future."

We also asked Shaq how he felt about the Lakers most likely taking Lonzo Ball with the #2 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft (despite some back and forth trash talk with his dad, LaVar).

Shaq's all for it ... "He's a great player. He makes his teammates better."

Grandmama has spoken ... with Larry Johnson telling TMZ Sports he REALLY hopes his NY Knicks don't trade away Kristaps Porzingis.

The rumors are spreading like wildfire ... that Phil Jackson is taking calls from other NBA teams looking to make a deal for the Latvian wonderkid before the NBA Draft.

So, when we saw the ex-Knicks star in NYC on Tuesday, we asked him to weigh in ... and it's clear he's against moving KP.

The Knicks and KP don't seem to be on the best of terms right now ... but LJ seems to think the team is better with him than without him.

Carmelo and La La Anthony are in a limbo stage of their relationship ... but they're perfectly fine with that.

Sources close to the ex-couple tell TMZ ... neither one is in any hurry to file divorce papers because they're happy with the way things are right now. We're told they're definitely not getting back together, but are working together to be there for their 10-year-old son.

As our source puts the situation ... "Divorce isn't on the horizon."

When we last saw them together, Melo and La La were co-parenting on Mother's Day ... dinner and fro-yo style.

Carmelo Anthony is getting some heavy duty backup in his nasty feud with Phil Jackson ... an ex-Knicks head coach who says he LOVED coaching 'Melo and says he's been "great" for the franchise.

Phil's been criticizing Anthony since he was hired as the Knicks President -- and made it clear he wants to trade Melo out of NYC as soon as possible.

We got former Knicks coach Mike Woodson -- who was fired by Phil back in '14 -- and asked what he thought of the Melo/Jackson feud ... and Mike took a side.

"I love Carmelo Anthony, that's all I'm gonna say," Woodson told us ... adding, "He was great for me."

Seems clear Woodson -- now an assistant with the Clippers -- is riding with his 'Melo, and why not? The two men were 109-79 together and made the playoffs twice, something the Knicks haven't done since.

And when we say "since" ... we mean since Phil Jackson was hired.

Charles Oakley says Carmelo Anthony needs to run like hell from the Knicks this off-season ... claiming he simply deserves better.

Oakley was at the BTIG charity event in NYC on Tuesday when he told us straight up, "I think he just needs to get out of New York."

Oak says he believes Melo still has a lot left in the tank -- but it'll go to waste unless he goes to a team, like OKC, Utah or the L.A. Clippers.

"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."

Derek Fisher says Carmelo Anthony needs to be focused on family ... not basketball ... and promises he'll reach out to his former player and help him cope with the separation from his superstar wife, La La.

Derek coached Melo on the Knicks a few years back -- and when we got him out in Calabasas with his GF, Gloria Govan, we had to ask if he'd he heard the news about Melo's marriage.

Interesting question for Fisher (Govan LITERALLY sips tea when we ask) ... but he goes full-on friend, saying Anthony should tune out everything except his family. He also promises to call Melo to offer his support.

Rudy Giuliani says basketball fans shouldn't turn their backs on Carmelo Anthony in the wake of adultery allegations ... because HALF of all athletes cheat.

The ex-NYC mayor was out in L.A. when we asked how he felt about the standoff between Melo and the NY Knicks ... with Phil Jackson saying he wants Anthony off the team next year.

"He's a Knick," Rudy told us ... "Once a Knick, always a Knick."

Carmelo and La La Anthony are separated ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the couple tell us the actress and NBA superstar are now living separately. La La moved out of the family home last week and has her own place in NYC now.

We're told the couple's had ups and downs in the past, but the current NBA season has been extremely stressful on the marriage for several months. Carmelo's been plagued by trade talks ... with the Knicks looking to move him to another team.

Our sources say the split is still amicable. They were together just this past weekend at their 10-year-old son Kiyan's basketball game.

We're told La La and Carmelo have NO plans to uproot Kiyan from his friends and school in NY.

Problem is ... it seems likely Carmelo will have to leave town, because just last week Knicks President Phil Jackson said it was time for him to go.

Neither is talking divorce yet, just separation. The couple got married in 2010.

If you like seeing Carmelo Anthony in Knicks colors, turn your head ... cause Melo was out in L.A. Sunday night chatting it up at Catch with Sam Cassell, an assistant coach for the Clippers.

The Clippers are one of Melo's most talked about potential landing spots, and rumor has it that a trade between them and the Knicks almost happened at the deadline.

Add into the equation Melo's wife, LaLa, has an exploding acting career (never hurts to be in L.A.) and the Knicks seem to be souring on Anthony in favor of Porzingis and this meeting could be HUGE.

You know that furry getup Carmelo Anthony rocked to the Knicks game Tuesday night? It was custom-made ... and it was expensive!

TMZ Sports spoke with Nadeem Waheed -- owner of Daniel's Leather in New York -- who says Melo dropped $5,000 on the American sheepskin shearling with cross fox fur ... and added the $500 hat to match.

Charles Oakley might not want to return to MSG after his beef with James Dolan, but that won't keep him from watching his Knicks ... sitting courtside as New York visited the Cavs Thursday night.

Oak -- a Cleveland native -- was invited to sit next to Dan Gilbert to have an up-close look at LeBron James and the defending world champs beat up on the struggling Knicks.

Oakley was temporarily banned from the Garden after getting ejected and arrested at the February 8 Knicks game. Dolan later lifted the ban, but Oak says he's not ready to return to the arena.

The Land has continued to show support for the former NBAer ... from making t-shirts to LBJ telling reporters, "Oakley for president."

Good news for Kobe ... he'll NEVER be shunned from Staples Center like Charles Oakley was from Madison Square Garden ... that's according to Ice Cube who says a Mamba ban is simply not possible.

Draymond Green says he never meant to imply Knicks owner James Dolan was a racist with his "slave master mentality" comments ... saying he describing the mindset, and not the man.

Green caused a racial firestorm earlier this week when he used the term "slave master mentality" to describe Dolan's attitude and treatment of Knicks great Charles Oakley.

The backlash from the comments was severe ... with people saying Draymond had no right to inject race into what seemed to be a case of just two guys not liking each other.

Now, Green is backing way off his comments ... addressing the controversy on an ESPN radio show and saying his comments weren't taken in the right way.

"I never said James Dolan has a slave master mentality. I said when you look at something and someone is doing something for someone and all of a sudden they can't anymore, that falls under the slave mentality."

Green went on to add he never said Dolan wasn't a racist, and doesn't know if Dolan is a racist, because he doesn't know Dolan.

Charles Oakley says he will NOT definitively label James Dolan as a racist because he's never personally seen him do racist things ... but says he's heard rumblings "over and over."

Oakley says he's "heard stuff" about Dolan over the years -- but when TMZ Sports asked him bluntly if he thinks Dolan is a racist Oakley said, "I don't know because I don't know him. I never met him like that."

"You hear all that stuff but I don't know. I can't say yet ... If it is, it'll come out. But right now, we're still waiting to see."

Oakley also says he's NOT accepting Dolan's proposed truce saying he's still injured -- physically and emotionally -- after the big incident at Madison Square Garden.

Charles Oakley just compared Knicks owner James Dolan to disgraced ex-Clippers owner Donald Sterling -- but stopped short of calling him a full-blown racist.

Oakley was asked about Draymond Green's claim that Dolan has a "slave master mentality" -- and while Charles wouldn't definitely agree with the term ... he didn't say Green was wrong either.

Oakley sounded off on "SI Now" and said he predicts the Knicks "will end up the same way as the Clippers" -- clearly insinuating that Dolan will be run out of town a la Sterling.

When pressed if he thought Dolan was a racist, Oakley said, "He's on the level."

Of course, TMZ Sports broke the infamous audio of Sterling telling V. Stiviano not to bring black people to Clippers games ... even Magic Johnson.

He was subsequently banned from the NBA for life.