New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony came close to signing with the Chicago Bulls as a free agent last summer, calling the team a "perfect fit" for him.
The Knicks are 4-15, and while Anthony didn't express regret about re-signing with his hometown team, he did reveal in a documentary - "Carmelo: Made in New York," which aired Tuesday - how close he came to signing with Chicago free agent this past July.
"It was one part of time where I was just like, 'Yo, I'm going," Anthony said in the documentary, according to ESPN. "... It came down to Chicago and New York. Chicago was the one that, from Day One, was something that I was very impressed with. They was looking for a person like me to come in and just take them to the next level. So it was perfect. It was a perfect setup, perfect fit for me in Chicago.
"But then also I had to think about just living in Chicago. Do I want to live in Chicago? Do I want to take everything that I created in New York and move all of that? It came down to that."
Anthony also explained why he passed on the Lakers, who also impressed him with their pitch.
"It would have just been me and Kobe (Bryant) on that team and then you would have had to throw in pieces in there until next year," Anthony said. "So I figured why pick up and leave when New York is in the same situation? I'd have to really want to get out of New York and come to almost the same situation."
The hiring of Knicks president Phil Jackson also likely convinced Anthony to stay in New York. Anthony, however, has struggled in adapting to the triangle offense and remains the team's only viable scoring option. With open salary cap space this summer, though, Jackson is expected to pursue a big-name to pair alongside Anthony.
New York hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday.
