In an interview with NBA TV, Carmelo Anthony called LeBron James' decision to sign with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami in the summer of 2010 "smart."
"They were smart,” Anthony told NBA TV's Ahmad Rashad. “I think it’s smart. It was their choice.”
For those who like to read between the lines, that can be taken two ways. Anthony will test free agency this summer. If he thinks it's smart to join forces with another superstar, he might end up signing with another team to play alongside a top player (Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles?). Or Anthony's assertion could mean he's committed to bringing another star player to New York.
Anthony can make more money if he re-signs with the Knicks instead of joining another suitor.
With the Knicks, he could ink a a five-year contract worth $129,135,806. If he signs with another team, the maximum he can earn is $95,897,372 over four years, according to calculations by ESPN salary-cap expert Larry Coon.
“I’m not saying I want to go somewhere else,” Anthony told Rashad. “When I first got to New York, I always told myself it would be a three- to three-and-a-half-year plan just to rebuild. I knew we took a step backwards as an organization for me to get here. So we had to rebuild.
“You’re not going to build a mansion in a year or two years. It takes time. That’s where I’m at right now.”
For what it's worth, Anthony will have been in New York for 3 1/2 years by the end of this season. Anthony made the comments to Rashad when the Knicks were 3-5. New York fell to 8-18 with Saturday's loss.
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