Carmelo Anthony For Chicago Bulls? Player Rumored to Leave NY Knicks
Three years after the trade that gave him the slice of the Big Apple he wanted, he might've had enough.
With an NBA championship still elusive as he goes into what could be the twilight years of his athletic prime, the seven-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony could be moving on, reported CBS Sports, and the rumor mill is saying he has his eyes fixed on the Chicago Bulls or the Houston Rockets.
Anthony met with the New York Knicks top brass on Friday and expressed that the team might not be ready to claim a shot at the championship, said a separate report by Lakers Nation, with the latter said to be the most decisive reason behind the possible switch.
Team president Phil Jackson has been urging Anthony to accept his player option and delay free agency for the next year, with ESPN noting a strong pitch: The Knicks will have increased financial flexibility in 2015 to bring in a free agent to boost the team.
A horrendous 2013-14 season could have been the eye-opener for the small forward wearing jersey number 7, SB Nation speculated, with the Knicks failing to build on the momentum of a glorious 54-win previous season and ultimately missing the playoffs with a poor Eastern Conference showing.
The roster was No. 9 is the East with a 37-45 record under ousted Mike Woodson, and needs a lot of work in order to start approaching a championship contention, it adds.
A Yahoo Sports report also said Anthony was put off with Jackson's public proclamations of wanting him to take less money to stay with New York.
Turning 30 a few weeks ago, whichever team he signs up for could be the Knicks sensation's last shot at cashing in on a long-term contract and winning a title in the NBA, and speculation has been strong that Anthony could be moving the way of the Bulls or Rockets.
SB Nation said Anthony, the NBA's second-leading scorer, would reinforce Houston's Dwight Howard in the shooting department. However, Anthony would not help much defensively.
With the offensively deficient Bulls, on the other hand, the report commented that Anthony would help, especially with concerns about Derrick Rose coming back from his second straight season-ending knee surgery.
If he opts out of the $23.3-million player option with the Knicks, though, and chooses to play with either of the teams, it would entail major lineup adjustments.
Anthony has until June 23 to decide whether or not he wants to stay with the Knicks for the final year of his current contract, ESPN reported.
At a news conference to introduce coach Derek Fisher, the latter had said: "As far as Carmelo is concerned, we obviously believe Carmelo is one of the top players in the NBA and world.
"We want him to be here, but ultimately he has the choice. We'll do everything we can possibly do to give him confidence that we can get the job done and put a team together he can feel is a championship team."
Free agency starts July 1, with Lakers Nation noting rampant rumors that the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat would want Anthony on board. The ESPN report also adds the Dallas Mavericks to the list.
"[Anhony's] heart is in New York," Yahoo Sports quoted a source close to Anthony, "but he wants a chance to win now."