Carmelo Anthony knows how pending free agent Kevin Durant feels

Carmelo Anthony believes Kevin Durant is more concerned with his health than he is his pending free agency. But Anthony understands what Durant is feeling and experiencing.

Anthony was in Durant's shoes two seasons ago when he was set to test free agency. Observers speculated that Anthony would leave the struggling Knicks for a better team, namely Chicago or Houston, but he took a near-max deal to stay put.

One difference: Durant's team is a contender, especially when he's healthy (he missed his fifth straight game with a strained hamstring Friday night when the Thunder hosted the Knicks). Yet the rumors have begun that his hometown Wizards, the Lakers and the Knicks are teams he could play for next season.

Anthony said it's got to play out. "I've been there," he said. "As much as we say we try not to think about it, we try not to worry about it, there will come a time where we do have to think about those things. Maybe not when we come in the arena and not on the court, but when you're home, you think about it sometimes.

"I don't think he's thinking about it right now. I think for him it's just more trying to get healthy, get back on the court and play basketball."

It's been a rough go for Durant. The four-time scoring champ and former MVP played only 27 games last season because of foot problems and has appeared in eight of the Thunder's 13 this season.

"When you come off an injury and you feel like you've done everything you have to do to rehab and get back on the court and then you have another freak injury like that, that right there can be a little bit frustrating by itself," Anthony said. "I know he's not worried about the free agency coming up."

Anthony is friendly with Durant, so he likely will try to recruit the Thunder star when the time comes. The Knicks also have ties to Durant on the bench. Derek Fisher was a Thunder teammate and assistant coaches Brian Keefe and Joshua Longstaff were Thunder coaches.

Durant would be a key piece to add, but with Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis, the Knicks might be better off looking for backcourt help, particularly at point guard. Mike Conley Jr. could be a good fit.

It could be hard for Durant to leave what he has in Oklahoma City. He's already playing with a dynamic, explosive All-Star in Russell Westbrook, and Durant is adored here. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame on Thursday, a nice honor and very shrewd, considering he will become a free agent on July 1.

Westbrook was Durant's presenter during the ceremony. Durant ended his speech by saying, "Hopefully we'll be here next year for Russell's induction."

Anthony made it seem as if it could be difficult for Durant to turn his back on Oklahoma City.

"Come on, man, he just got into the Hall of Fame," he said. "He's a big part of Oklahoma as a whole. Not just from a basketball standpoint, from an economic standpoint, business standpoint -- he's a major part of what goes on out here."

It's also a different time in professional sports; the major markets don't necessarily attract the top players anymore. Star athletes can get endorsement deals wherever they play.

"I think nowadays with the way that this social media is, I don't think you have to be in a major market to get those opportunities,'' Anthony said. "The way the TV deal is, you're seen all over the world now and not just big markets.''

Someone joked with Anthony that the Knicks got him to re-sign without having to put him in the Hall of Fame.

"Yeah," he said. "But I would love to be in the New York Hall of Fame one day."

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.