Carmelo Anthony Already Checking Out Chicago Bulls After Opting Out With Knicks
Carmelo Anthony could soon be suiting up for the Chicago Bulls.
The New York Knicks star decided to exercise the opt-out clause on his contract, allowing him to become a free agent, and sources say he has already been looking closely at the Windy City.
League sources told ESPN.com that Carmelo has been inquiring about Chicago and what it’s like to live there.
“According to league sources, Anthony has talked to at least one high-profile person who lives in Chicago about what it’s like to be famous in the Windy City,” ESPN‘s Ian Begley wrote.
Separate sources told ESPN.com‘s Marc Stein that the Bulls are likely to be one of the teams bidding for Carmelo Anthony once the free agency period starts this summer.
The Chicago Bulls appear to have an all hands on deck approach to landing Carmelo. Head coach Tom Thibodeau has been talking to some of Anthony’s former coaches, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Rumors that Carmelo Anthony could want to join the Chicago Bulls stretch back for months. There were reports during All-Star Weekend that Anthony was talking with Bulls center Joakim Noah about what it’s like to play for Thibodeau, and Noah reportedly used the opportunity to give a recruiting pitch.
The Bulls could be a good landing point for Carmelo. He would be one of three players who have challenged for league MVP over the course of their careers, along with Noah and Derrick Rose. Anthony is a natural scorer whose strong point is not defense, but the Bulls as a team already have many solid defensive players, which could free up Carmelo to focus on offense.
Many other teams are expected to join the Chicago Bulls in trying to land Carmelo Anthony. Sources say he would also consider the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks, and the Miami Heat loom as a dark horse candidate.
Choosing Miami would allow Carmelo Anthony to play alongside Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh — which was rumored to be a plan for years — but would also require all three of these stars to restructure their contracts to take less money.
