Carmelo Anthony is expected to opt-out of his contract with the New York Knicks and become an unrestricted free agent and explore his options. There’s a chance he could leave the Knicks and possibly join the Houston Rockets or the Chicago Bulls. The only issue for the Bulls is they would need to clear some salaries in order to create cap space to sign Anthony to a max contract. Another option is they can complete a sign-and-trade with the Knicks once Anthony decides he wants to leave. The problem there is the Knicks don’t like the offer.
The deal would almost certainly involve Carlos Boozer who hasn’t exactly worked out like the Bulls hoped.
via Chicago Tribune:
However, league sources continue to indicate that despite Boozer’s expiring $16.8 million deal dovetailing with the Knicks’ plan for massive salary-cap space in 2015, the Knicks have no interest in acquiring Boozer as of now.
Thus, the Bulls might have to sign Anthony, whom everyone from coach Tom Thibodeau to Rose is on board with adding, via outright salary-cap space. Using the amnesty provision on Boozer only nets them roughly $11 million of space, depending on where the cap is set July 1. The Bulls would have to sell off other pieces for nothing in return to create more cap space and would prefer obviously to keep Taj Gibson. So would Anthony should he land with the Bulls.
Boozer has his flaws, but he’s a serviceable big man who averaged 13.7 points and 8.3 rebounds in 28.2 minutes per game for the Bulls last season. His contract is outrageous, but the Knicks are doomed next year from a cap standpoint anyway, and Boozer’s deal would clear in time for New York to pursue free agents in 2015.
But the Knicks plan to try to convince Anthony to stay, and with Phil Jackson now in place and the team having the advantage of being able to offer an extra year and around $30 million to entice him, it’s still very possible that Anthony re-ups in New York.
