Reports: Carmelo Anthony unsure on Knicks, can’t get the Bulls out of his head

Dan Feldman

 

Jul 10, 2014, 9:44 PM EDT

49 Comments

Taj Gibson, Carmelo Anthony

Carmelo Anthony reportedly decided to re-sign with the Knicks.

Maybe Melo actually believed he’d stay in New York, and maybe he still will.

But not even Phil Jackson has heard from Melo, and this silence is strange.

What’s going on with the second-most-sought-after free agent on the market?

Stephen A. Smith on ESPN Chicago:

I got a call. ‘Look, something has come up. Something is in the mix. Melo is having second thoughts. I don’t know what’s going on, but this is what it is.’ I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ They said, ‘Chicago.’ Suddenly, Chicago is on the mind. I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. You’ve got to be kidding me.’ And this is somebody that is incredibly close to Carmelo Anthony who I completely trust as a source. This is what he was telling me. Couldn’t explain why, but just said, ‘Chicago is not out of the mix.’

‘Melo is sitting at home with his wife and family and talking about the Chicago Bulls.’ This is what they told me.

Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com:

Not much has changed since Melo visited teams. If he wants to make the most money, he’ll choose New York. If he wants the best team, he’ll choose Chicago or Houston. I wouldn’t blame him for prioritizing either factor.

The offensively deficient Bulls also represent the best fit for Melo, whose singular scoring talent would be well-complemented by Chicago’s defense-first, hustling role players. The Bulls were my early favorite to nab Melo for a reason.

But the Knicks also overtook them in the chase for a reason.

Melo is deliberating on where to spend the next three to five years of his life. I don’t blame him for having second thoughts and taking his time to consider all his options.

I also wouldn’t completely dismiss the idea that Melo’s advisors, unhappy his intention to sign with the Knicks leaked before they were ready to announce it, are spreading false information in order to justifying delaying an announcement. Now, if Melo declares an intention to sign with New York, he’d be controlling the message.

But if Melo is choosing between the Knicks and Bulls and doesn’t know which way to turn, that would make a lot of sense, too. It’s a tough decision.

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