NBA Free Agent and Trade Rumors 2014: Carmelo Anthony May Still Join Chicago Bulls
Free agent forward Carmelo Anthony has yet to make his decision, and reports indicated that the Chicago Bulls are still in a good position to lure the All-Star forward out of the New York Knicks.
ESPN reported on Friday that Anthony is considering signing with the Knicks or the Bulls, but Chicago need to convince New York to agree to a sign-and-trade in order to acquire the 11-year veteran.
The Knicks have the best chance of signing Anthony after offering a five-year deal worth $129 million, but the Bulls, despite their lack of cap space to offer a max deal, still intrigue the former Syracuse standout, who previously said that he is looking to sign with a title contender.
But in order to make the Anthony-to-Chicago scenario work, the Bulls should convince the Knicks to acquire Carlos Boozer in a sign-and-trade deal for the 30-year-old superstar, who averaged 27.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season.
The Lakers, who offered a maximum deal worth $96 million over four years, were previously considered as the strongest threat to the Knicks, but multiple reports confirmed on Friday that the choice is now down to the Knicks and the Bulls.
Knicks president Phil Jackson and newly-named coach Derek Fisher admitted that they have not heard anything from Anthony, fueling speculations that the former scoring champion is waiting for the Bulls to make the necessary moves to create cap space for a lucrative contract.
Ken Berger of CBS Sports reported on Friday that Anthony has yet to talk to Chicago about his plan, but the Bulls already have cap-clearing moves in place once they get a verbal commitment from the seven-time All-Star.
"Carmelo Anthony's intentions have not been communicated to the Bulls, source says. But Chicago has cap-clearing moves teed up," Berger posted on his Twitter account.
In case the Bulls fail to land Anthony, reports confirmed that they would shift their attention to Pau Gasol. The Bulls are interested in acquiring the veteran center via a sign-and-trade with the Lakers, which will also involve Boozer's $16.8 million expiring contract next season.
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