There’s not a lot going on in the Carmelo Anthony front. The New York Knicks are hoping they can keep him, but from all the signs, it seems that going to the Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets or the Dallas Mavericks is a much more likely option for the eight-time All-Star and one-time NBA scoring champion.
The teams can’t meet with Anthony just yet or even set up a meeting, but league sources make it pretty clear that it’s going to happen. Anthony, or someone from his proximity has already informed the New York Knicks of what’s going to happen. The Los Angeles Lakers are also in the mix, hoping that Kobe Bryant’s persuasion powers are better now than they were when he couldn’t get Dwight Howard to re-sign with the team.
Anthony, averaging 27.4 points and a career high 8.1 rebounds last season for the Knicks, has also been speaking on the phone with Bryant. The contents? It wasn’t about recommending movies to each other most likely. But how real are the Lakers in the race for Anthony and for James? They have the cap space, but the roster is empty of talent. Yes, there’s Kobe Bryant but it’s hard to take him seriously at the moment. Steve Nash is with one leg in retirement. That’s not a lot to go on, despite all of the flair and history that the franchise loves to brag with.
The Chicago Bulls are Anthony’s favorite option but once again – it will come down to either him taking a big discount or the Bulls finding someone to take away some parts. They will amnesty Boozer if they can’t trade him, but it will come down to Taj Gibson. The Bulls will probably even include Joakim Noah in a trade if they know it lands them LeBron James. For Carmelo Anthony? I’m not sure.
The Dallas Mavericks have the most cap space to work with, and now a lineup trio of Monta Ellis, Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki to offer him. I’m not sure how excited Anthony will be about being with Raymond Felton on the same team, but the Mavs have a nice combination that is going to be hard to deny once he meets with them, although free agents tend to glance over the Mavs when they make their final decision.
The Rockets were the attractive team for Dwight Howard last summer and are making themselves available again. They’ve traded Omer Asik to open up cap space and are trying to move Jeremy Lin and even Chandler Parsons to make themselves open to a big addition – LeBron James, and if not him then Carmelo Anthony, although for now Anthony is the more reachable player, not making everything a secret.
This should have been the summer of Carmelo, but LeBron James might be stealing his thunder with his opting out. Still, whoever James goes for, if he even leaves the Miami Heat at all, will make the others only more desperate to sign Carmelo Anthony, who’ll probably be talking to James as the two continue the trend of superstars keeping each other informed and making career decisions together.