The Knicks believe they have satisfied almost all of Carmelo Anthony’s concerns, and now wait to see if they will be crowned champions of the Melo Sweepstakes. Anthony is expected to make his decision sometime this weekend and the Knicks remain the clear favorites.
Another boost in the Knicks’ chances took place Friday, when the Bulls moved to blow even more cap space by beginning negotiations with European draft prospect Nikola Mirotic — a sign Chicago realizes its chances of landing Anthony are slim. The Bulls would no longer be able to sign Anthony with their remaining cap room.
Knicks president Phil Jackson told Anthony during Thursday night’s meeting in Los Angeles he can have the team’s maximum 5-year, $129 million contract if he wishes. But The Post has learned there’s a distinct possibility Anthony will still decide to take a little less than the max.
One scenario would be Anthony starting at the max $22.4 million, but taking a 7.5 percent pay reduction in Year 2, as allowed by the collective bargaining agreement. That reduced salary for the 2015-16 season would give the Knicks a little more cap space next summer.
Jackson has said he prefers for Anthony to take less than the max to give him more salary-cap flexibility in 2015 and 2016 to sign free agents.
A source close to Anthony said he has confidence Jackson and general manager Steve Mills will make the Knicks top-flight contenders in the future, but was unsure about their ability to upgrade the team for this season. Anthony didn’t want to go through another 37-45 campaign.
“I don’t think the money ever was the most important part,’’ the source said. “I think his concern was, could they make the team better this season? He is comfortable in the outer years, but needed to be convinced about the upcoming year.’’
That’s why Anthony is trying to take an active role in recruiting free agent Pau Gasol, though the Knicks only have their $3.3 million mini mid-level exception. Gasol has been heavily courted by the Heat, Thunder and Bulls. One scenario would be convincing Gasol to sign for one year, then allowing him to share in the 2015 cap space with his brother, center Marc Gasol, who will be a free agent.
Anthony liked the hiring of Derek Fisher as coach, along with the trade with the Mavericks, in which the Knicks upgraded the point guard position with Jose Calderon — a friend of the Gasols — and young Shane Larkin, while adding a potential scorer off the bench in second-round steal Cleanthony Early.
Anthony has met with Jackson three times since the season ended. A Yahoo! Sports report on Friday called the two “aligned with their vision.’’
The source close to Anthony told The Post on Friday that family is also a factor in potentially staying in New York. The Post has reported Anthony’s Brooklyn-raised wife La La Vasquez doesn’t want him to leave the Knicks after she was a driving force in the trade that brought him to New York from Denver in 2011.
Perhaps the only person who could gum up the works with the Knicks is LeBron James, whose demand for the maximum salary could push Chris Bosh off to the Rockets or Mavericks. Bosh already has engaged in talks with Houston. If Bosh bolts, that could open a South Beach spot for Anthony in a new Big Three.
In addition, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak met in Cleveland on Friday with James’ agent, and has floated the idea of pairing Anthony and James in Los Angeles by opening even more cap space. However, both scenarios figure to be too long a process for Anthony.
Meanwhile, the Bulls almost assuredly need a sign-and-trade with the Knicks to make an Anthony addition happen — and Jackson isn’t willing. During Tuesday’s meeting, the Bulls proposed Anthony taking about $16 million per over four years after maneuvering. But signing Mirotic will make that figure even lower. According to the Chicago Tribune, Joakim Noah has told confidants Anthony likely will re-sign with the Knicks.
The Rockets are intriguing with near-max cap space if they trade Jeremy Lin to the Sixers, but Anthony’s title hopes would be tougher in the Western conference. The Mavericks are long shots after re-signing Dirk Nowitzki to a three-year, $30 million deal and ESPN Dallas stated the Mavs told Anthony he would make about $18 million per season— far short of the Knicks’ $22.4 million offer.
The idea Anthony would be forgoing a chance at winning a title next season is misleading. Of the four teams he visited, three were bounced out in the first round of the playoffs (Bulls, Rockets, Mavericks) and the other club, the Lakers, didn’t qualify. A source connected to Anthony’s inner circle told The Post Monday, “There’s reason to believe he’s staying.’’