Carmelo Anthony will officially become a free agent on Tuesday and he is planning to talk with the Chicago Bulls first, ESPN reported on Monday.

Sources indicated that Anthony has already arranged a trip to Chicago for a meeting on Tuesday, which will be followed by a trip to Texas wherein he is scheduled to talk to the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.

Anthony, who is one of the biggest names on the NBA free agency market this summer, is also expected to sit down with Los Angeles Lakers officials when he returns to his LA home next week.

Previous reports indicated that the Bulls are on top of Anthony's list of possible destination as he is interested in playing alongside Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau could also be a factor after Anthony praised the defensive-minded coach for leading the Bulls to successful seasons despite being hit by injuries to key players.

But while the Bulls are one of the favorites to land Anthony, their current star, Rose, said in an interview with Yahoo Sports that he will not make a pitch to Anthony.

When asked for a reason, Rose pointed out that it is not his job, but he expressed admiration to Anthony, who is one of the best scorers in the league.

"I love Melo's game," Rose said of Anthony. "He's a great player. Takes the game serious. He's consistent. He shoots the ball great. I love his heart. I can play with anybody, no matter who it is. I believe I can play with anyone if they step on the court with me."

New York Knicks Like Chance of Re-Signing Anthony

While Anthony is scheduled to talk to several teams in the next several days, the New York Knicks are still confident that the 11-year veteran will eventually decide to stay in the Big Apple.

"The New York Knicks are nonetheless increasingly optimistic about their chances of re-signing Anthony, stemming at least in part from what one source describes as the way new Knicks president Phil Jackson has "connected" with Anthony," Marc Stein of ESPN wrote.

Knicks president Phil Jackson is reportedly planning to lure Pau Gasol in hopes of convincing Anthony that they are serious in building a title-contending team next season.

[SEE: New York Knicks Interested in Pau Gasol to Convince Carmelo Anthony to Stay]

Related