The Knicks’ chances of keeping Carmelo Anthony could increase if the Bulls land Orlando’s Arron Afflalo in a trade.
Afflalo, the small forward and Anthony’s former teammate in Denver, reportedly is being sought by the Bulls, who had been considered Anthony’s most ardent suitor. Afflalo makes just $7.5 million and would add scoring punch to the Bulls’ limp attack, although not to the level of Anthony.
If the Bulls do land Afflalo, it might make it impossible financially to pursue Anthony as well. Yahoo! Sports reported Afflalo is on the trading block.
Perhaps the Bulls realize they aren’t the favorites to land Anthony, knowing how difficult it would be to get far enough under the salary cap to make a competitive offer to him.
They would have to amnesty Carlos Boozer, trade Taj Gibson and maybe even Mike Dunleavy without taking salary back while being unable to sign their 2012 draft pick, Nikola Mirotic. The Bulls also have been leery using both of their first-round picks because it would give them less room to sign Anthony.
If the Bulls went all out to drop well under the cap, Anthony then could realize the Bulls were making too many sacrifices to afford him — much like the Knicks did in their 2011 trade with Denver when they obtained Anthony.
Unfortunately for the Knicks, that sign-and-extend included an opt-out after the fourth season and Anthony, as has been his plan since October, officially will exercise it Monday — the deadline in his contract. It will make him a free agent July 1, for the first time in his career.
Knicks team president Phil Jackson wanted Anthony to think about opting in and delaying free agency for a year, but a source said he told Jackson at the L.A. meeting he wants to become a free agent now, as planned.
That doesn’t mean Anthony is a goner, especially if the Bulls pull off an Afflalo deal. Anthony said he is willing to take less than the max with the Knicks if it means they would have cap flexibility, and is willing to take less elsewhere to join a title contender. But the Bulls were knocked out in the first round and Derrick Rose is still viewed as an injury risk.
Anthony may not be willing to stray too far away from his market value, and the Knicks are in a much better position than the Bulls to pay him. The maximum starting salary the Knicks can offer is $23 million and can go five years, as opposed to four years with Chicago or Houston.
If Anthony takes in the $18 million to $19 million neighborhood in the first year to stay in New York, that would give the Knicks a lot more flexibility in signing free agents in 2015.
Theoretically, Anthony’s advisors would love for him to join Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau — who, like Anthony, is a CAA client. Thibodeau’s top advisor is William Wesley, who also has influence on Anthony. But it isn’t in the best interests of CAA to negotiate a contract that far off the max. For instance, in the farfetched Miami scenario, Anthony would have to take about $14 million to start.
Only Dallas can compete with the Knicks financially, because the Mavericks have max cap space and there is no state income tax in Texas. For his part, Anthony called the Jackson summit “a great meeting’’ at a Manhattan appearance Tuesday, and added, “I like what Phil is doing.’’
His official exercising of his opt-out Monday doesn’t mean he’s exercising his way out of the Big Apple.