Carmelo Anthony has been clear from the start he intended to opt out and become a free agent this summer. He might well re-sign with the Knicks, but he was going to look at his options. He wanted the “full Dwight Howard treatment.”
So it shouldn’t be a surprise that Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher couldn’t talk Anthony out of his plan, as reported by Frank Isola at the New York Daily News.
There were reports that the one team could be the Miami Heat, and watching them in the Finals shaw shown how they need to upgrade that roster. However that would require a large financial sacrifice from Anthony, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. For one, Bosh called this scenario very, very unlikely.
But if Anthony is willing to take a pay cut and not be “the man” on a team as he is in NYC he would have other options such as Chicago and Houston, two teams that would be considered contenders with Anthony in the fold.
Anthony has options. He wants to explore them. Always did, nothing has really changed.
Just don’t be surprised if he doesn’t look at those options and end up back in blue and orange at Madison Square Garden again next season.