The biggest NBA headline yesterday involved Carmelo Anthony, who told the New York Observer that he was looking forward to testing free agency, strongly implying that he’d turn down his player option for 2014/15 and hit the open market next summer. Anthony spoke to the media today about those comments, so let’s round up today’s highlights related to Carmelo and the rest of the Knicks…
- While Anthony acknowledged that there’s a good chance he opts out next summer, he told reporters, including Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, that it doesn’t mean he plans to leave New York. “Me leaving never came across in my mind,” Anthony said. “[Free agency] was just an experience that I thought would be an experience I’d want to experience.”
- Asked about Carmelo’s situation, coach Mike Woodson replied, “I don’t see him leaving. That’s just my thought,” according to Begley.
- Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reads into Carmelo’s response to a question about the Lakers, predicting that L.A. will be the Knicks’ primary competitor for the star forward’s services next summer.
- In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Amir Elhassan provides an FAQ for Anthony’s upcoming free agency, in which he speculates that the Mavericks, Pistons, and Bobcats could also try to make a run at Carmelo.
- Exploring a subject that doesn’t involve Anthony, Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal wonders why the Knicks’ front office seems somewhat lukewarm on Iman Shumpert. The third-year guard will be eligible for a long-term extension next offseason.