Editor’s Note: The following is a guest article from “Jeff P”.
Let the speculation begin. Carmelo Anthony has informed the New York Knicks that he will opt out of his contract and will officially become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st. Anthony, who recently turned 30, would have received a little over $23 million had he opted in to his contract. However, this decision to opt out comes as no surprise as it was widely expected throughout the season that Anthony’s intentions were to opt out. So what exactly is in the future for Carmelo Anthony?
Free Agency: The Carmelo Anthony Saga
Let us fast-forward a bit. It is the night of June 30th. Midnight is slowly approaching, and general managers are anxiously waiting for that opening bell at midnight to come in effect. Bulls general manager, Gar Forman, will be prepared to pick up that phone to recruit Carmelo as soon as the clock hits the 12 A.M. mark. Though, he will not be alone. Phil Jackson will also be at the phone shining his 11 rings on his desk, planning his next meeting with Melo. Additionally, Daryl Morey, general manager of the Rockets will also be waiting. The bell rings, and it is 12 A.M., and the 2014 free agency has officially begun.
During this saga, what is Melo doing? He is thinking of what will be best for him. What would be best for his legacy. Where will he, and his family spend the rest of his career at. Fans at both ends will be waiting. Knick fans will naturally be confident and will be attempting to figure out how Jackson will form a super-team which includes at least 5 superstars. Of course, this is unrealistic, but Knick fans can dream. Bulls fans will be watching SportsCenter in a local bar, arguing with Knick fans on who will be getting Melo via twitter. So who will win this argument, and why?
One thing for sure is Carmelo Anthony loves money. There’s no doubt about that, I mean who doesn’t love money? Knicks will likely be prepared to offer a whopping five year deal worth nearly $129 million. One can just imagine Carmelo Anthony salivating over those numbers. Additionally, him and his family love New York. LaLa Anthony loves the city, and who doesn’t want to make the wife happy? With these factors, Knicks are clearly a realistic option. However, they aren’t the best choice if he wanted to bring home a shiny and sparkling ring to his kids and fans. The Knicks will be stuck with similar players next year, and will have to fight their way through free agent seekers in the non-guaranteed free agency process in 2015 if they would want to compete in the upcoming years.
As previously mentioned, another team that will pursue Carmelo in free agency is the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls already have a playoff team with superstars Derrick Rose, and Joakim Noah. On top of that they also have a super-coach in Tom Thibodeau. Carmelo has publicly expressed interest in playing for Thibodeau, who has a defensive set mind and would gladly welcome in Carmelo to the Windy City. The million dollar question is, will this team work?
The Bulls are clearly in need of a shooter, who can give them an un-conditional source to add to their terrific defense. Carmelo Anthony clearly fits this requirement , as he is known for his spot on shooting abilities. Moreover, With one of the top coaches in the league it’s safe to assume this “super-combo” can work, and become an immediate contender. However, the Bulls will have to sacrifice some pieces to clear cap space to give Melo the appropriate amount of money he deserves, and more importantly wants. These pieces will probably be Carlos Boozer, Mike Dunleavy, and other contracts which will be needed to be thrown in the trash can. This will be difficult, but is entirely possible through a sign-and-trade. With all this in mind, the Bulls should be right along the lines of the Miami Heat, and the San Antonio Spurs in a scenario where they sign Melo. Due to Anthony’s obvious hunger for a ring, the Bulls will be a clear option for Carmelo.
Another team which will be waiting to pursue Carmelo on July 1st is the Houston Rockets. The Rockets are in the up-and-coming city of Houston, one which Carmelo and all other teams would be enthused to play for. Furthermore, the Rockets already have two superstars on the team. James Harden, also known as “Super-James”, and Dwight Howard. Both are great players, but will they fit together and be enough to lure in Carmelo Anthony? I doubt that. Both Harden, and Anthony need consistent hold of the ball, and a shared leadership amongst these two is hard to see. Similarly to the Bulls, the Rockets would also need to execute a complicated sign-and-trade to add him. This team would still need help defensively, and would without-a-doubt be difficult to mesh together. Hence, this is an realistic option for Carmelo, but ultimately wouldn’t be the best choice if Carmelo choses to leave New York.
These three teams (Bulls, Rockets, and Knicks) are the main options for Carmelo. However, other teams such as the Mavs are going to be included in the sweepstakes. The dark horse teams shouldn’t be ruled out, as anything is possible, but at this time it is doubtful that Carmelo chooses a team other than the Bulls, Rockets, or Knicks.
The big question is which option is best for the superstar? The Bulls, Knicks or the Rockets? The Bulls will give the chance for a championship, but the Knicks will give him the money in his pocket which the greedy superstar would party over. Rockets give him a opportunity to compete too, but it’s hard to imagine him picking the Rockets over the Bulls as the Bulls have a clearer road for a title in the Eastern Conference. This narrows down Melo’s options to the Knicks, and Bulls.
As free agency nears, fans will be anxiously waiting on which team superstar Carmelo Anthony will be playing for in the future. The question is as follows: Which uniform will Carmelo Anthony be wearing in 2015? This decision depends on what he prioritizes. Does Carmelo prioritize the money in his pocket, and where his heart is? Or does Carmelo prioritize his chance to win a ring, and make his legacy unforgettable? Right now, the correct answer is no-one knows, probably not even Carmelo Anthony himself. However, without-a-doubt this process will be determined in a long and shall I say nail-biting free agency sweepstakes.
If Melo were to choose the Big Apple, he would likely be coming because of the money as a championship is unrealistic, and is a reach in the near future. The money factor shouldn’t be a huge issue for Carmelo if it is in fact true that he wants to win a championship. The difference in dollars between the Bulls and the Knicks isn’t such a drastic difference to the superstar, as the Bulls can offer up to 4 years, $96 million while Knicks can offer up to 5 years, $129 million. $33 million over five years is a LOT of money, but Carmelo is already worth a ton, and it’s hard to believe he’d pass up a chance to become known as a championship winner because of that sum. Hence, I think Carmelo will opt to become a Bull come the 2013-14 season. However, both teams will definitely be neck-and-neck until the finish line in the race for Carmelo Anthony.
The Carmelo Anthony saga has begun a long time ago. It began nearly four years ago, when the news was broken that Carmelo will come to his hometown in New York to play basketball, the best game in the world. Fans have been talking about Carmelo 24/7, and have idolized him. This could be the end, or a new beginning to the Carmelo Anthony era for fans. The fate of the situation all comes down to the free agency of 2014. Let it begin!
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