The New York Knicks are reportedly "the only" team willing to give superstar Carmelo Anthony a hefty contract in the upcoming 2014 free agency. Both the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls are uninterested in signing Anthony to a max deal, Basketball Insiders reports.
When Anthony opts out of his contract in July, he may not have as many suitors as he thinks.
"Sources close to the situation say that the Knicks are likely the only would-be suitor for Anthony willing to meet the full $22.45 million per year starting price on a new contract," Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders wrote on Monday. "Teams like the Chicago Bulls and L.A. Lakers that are constantly mentioned as possible free agent destinations are said to be unwilling to go that high in a deal for Anthony, who will turn 30 in May."
Even if Chicago does use their amnesty on forward Carlos Boozer, which they reportedly assured him they're unlikely to do, Chicago would still need to part with a key player to create enough cap space to sign Anthony to a max deal.
"To get in range of the full MAX-level offer the Knicks can put on the table, the Bulls would have to basically give away an additional player like Taj Gibson or Joakim Noah to create the room to sign Anthony to a deal in that price range," Kyler wrote.
While Los Angeles is likely to have enough cap space to sign Anthony this summer, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak intimated last week he may take a conservative approach in free agency.
Kyler seemingly corroborated this and wrote, "(The) word is the Lakers have eyes on a few smaller and slightly cheaper free agents to surround guard Kobe Bryant."
Despite the Knicks' poor season, Anthony has said he prefers to re-sign in the Big Apple. New York can also offer Anthony the biggest contract, although the perennial All-Star said he'd be willing to take a pay cut if it made room for more talent.
It may be difficult for New York to turn into a title-contender by next season - the team already has $91.2 million on the books and is without a first-round draft pick until 2018.
There's a light at the end of the tunnel, however. If Anthony re-signs in July, New York has only $12.6 million plus Anthony's new contract on the books for the 2015-16 season and could bring in better talent.
Minnesota Timberwolves star Kevin Love is expected to be among the talented free agents available in summer 2015.
