No way Melo accepts less than the max.
New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony is leaning toward leaving in pursuit of immediate championship contention, and awaits theChicago Bulls and Houston Rockets to clear the necessary salary-cap space to sign him in free agency, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
As re-signing with the Knicks continues to fade as his priority, Chicago and Houston have emerged as the clear frontrunners to acquire Anthony, league sources told Yahoo Sports.
Anthony's meeting with Knicks officials on Friday night had little impact on his state of mind, league sources said, because there remain too many uncertainties about how quickly president Phil Jackson can reshape the team into a championship contender.
Chicago and Houston front-office executives are working diligently on contingencies to clear the space to sign Anthony outright – or engage sign-and-trade scenarios with New York, sources said.
"His heart is in New York," one source familiar with Anthony's thinking told Yahoo Sports, "but he wants a chance to win now."
Jackson has turned off Anthony with his public proclamations of wanting the seven-time All-Star forward to take less money to stay with New York, league sources said.
Anthony has said he's willing to take less than the maximum-allowable contract, but league sources said that involves situations where he can be shown how his financial concessions can result in the immediate acquisition or retention of talent. Anthony hasn't expressed interest taking less for hypothetical signings in 2015 or '16, as New York wants him to do, sources said.
Anthony isn't as concerned over a novice head coach in Derek Fisher, as he is a roster barren of assets and talent to move toward contention.
Anthony, 30, has been intrigued with the chance to join the Bulls for several months, but Houston has gathered significant momentum as a preferred destination for him, league sources said.
In trade talks, New York has told teams it doesn't want to take on contracts beyond the summer of 2015 although Asik, a center, could ultimately be a player the Knicks would want to sign long-term. There's a market for Asik to be traded into salary-cap space elsewhere for draft considerations, but Houston may have to package a draft pick to move Lin.
The Rockets have the flexibility to sell Anthony on a full-max contract in the range of $22 million-$23 million per year, or can offer him the chance to keep teammates like Chandler Parsons, Patrick Beverley and Terrence Jones on the roster by accepting less money on the deal. Nevertheless, most scenarios that would hold the Rockets nucleus together would still find Anthony with a starting annually salary in the range of $19 million, league sources said.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--carmelo-anthony-leaning-toward-leaving-knicks--bulls--rockets-in-contention-161206919.html
If Randolph opts out Melo should go to Memphis.
No team with Melo will ever be contenders for a le.
If he wants to win he should go to chicago. It would guarantee an ECF for him...especially if Lebron leaves miami.
The rockets aren't going anywhere no matter who they have unless Mchale wakes up and learns how to be an NBA coach overnight.
While true, there is only great coach in the West and that is Pop. Clips have Doc, OKC has Brooks who is McHale's equivalent. Get Melo now, and see if Lionel Hollins will come.
Do you not remember the difference before and after Kelvin Sampson left?
I'm not saying the rockets shouldn't try to get him. Just that they'd still be worse than the thunder/clippers.
That's why you go get an assistant who will take over as HC after next year or whenever. Hollins or some other defensive minded coach.
Doc >>>>>>>>> Brooks and McFail, let's be real now....
Why would you even want that cancer Fatmelo?![]()
Please. He won't leave the Big Apple for Memphis. Would you?![]()
The woes greatly increased when Sampson left, but the defense was always suspect. The rockets lack discipline or any idea of ball movement...and it starts with James Harden. Unless Harden somehow magically becomes a good defender, swings the ball around, doesn't break up plays, and is held accountable...nothing will change. Adding another iso player into the mix will also stagnate the offense even further unless Harden agrees to play a 6th man role like Manu.
I joke about his Carmelo's shot attempts too, I just don't remember him being a cancer to any championship level team. And the Rockets have been out of the 1st round 1 time in like 15 years. I'm ready to try anything at this point.
Please. Doc ain't without KG, PP, RA, and ThibsPERI:loD
57 wins, 2nd round exit. Per par, tbh, FWIW.![]()
All valid points, still they lost to Portland because Jones nor Motiejunas could defend Aldridge. That is simply on talent. That and they got outrebounded pretty bad if iirc.
Rockets aren't a championship-level team and any team with Fatmelo isn't a championship-level team, tbh....
You know how Dwight hated playing with Kirby? He'd now have two wannabe Kirbys (Harden and Melo) denying him the ball![]()
Better than Houston though
Doc is and always will be an overrated coach. Dude had Thibs as the architect of the C's defense and didn't do after.
Who's Fredo gonna hire: Byrn Sc
tt, or Kurt Rambis?
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True that the 4 was a big hole, but Dork Elvis knew that was on the to do list for 2 years. The rockets also had superior talent and experience, they just chose the worst possible way to execute. They didn't even double LMA till like game 4...you can't say that is on talent. Thats Dork Elvis thinking everything is a coin flip and his puppet Milk Hair waiving his hands in the air trying to tell our boys to "pLAY HaRdER!"
I want to remain optimistic...but logic keeps telling me that the rockets have their set of issues and unless they are addressed, no available talent will raise them to the next level.
Harden never really denied Dwight the ball, Beverley just doesn't have good floor vision which is why they need a true PG. And I see your point about Melo.
Acquire some veterans like Marion, they'd help in playoff pressure situations. Our bench was absolute too to be fair to Milk Hair. And yeah Morey is at fault for leaving them naked at PF.
It would help fersure, but they would still be selling the same brand of basketball. One that relies on heavily on iso and is easy to stop with playoff level defense. I just hope that they can grab Hollins as the associate head whatever position so he can smack some discipline and sense into the team.
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