As Carmelo Anthony leans toward leaving New York, Chicago and Houston emerge as frontrunners

That proposed trade though still has about $10 million on the books past 2015. The only expirings are DJ and Green

 

I'm hearing Wade will opt out of the last 2 years of his contract, $41.5 million. And sign for 4 years @ $50-$55 million. Bosh and LeBron take pay cuts and there's room for Carmelo.

Just call the winner of the West the Champion.

Why is Riley so much for this? It's not helping LeBron's legacy and sets a dangerous standard. If they won 4 years in a row, great, keep the team together. Is Wade so dead set on keeping the Heat together its worth $41.5 million? Why Bosh?

 

Todays ESPN Melo news, with video

http://m.espn.go.com/nba/story?storyId=11119089&city=chicago

 

Curious then...would our proposed trade of Asik/Lin/dmo put them under the apron? Bc the way that sounds the incoming players to the knicks have to decrease their salary (which it would) but ALSO get them under the apron. Am I reading that right?

 

There's precedent. The Knicks S&Ted Richardson to the Raptors for Bargnani just last season. The result was them being over the apron.

 

Just thoughts, but with the sudden uptick in the Bulls getting closer to Melo, one would have to think that LeBron will be a Rocket. That or the Rockets' original plan of 12am-visiting Melo turned into 12am-visiting LeBron. In which case, Melo sees that in a negative way. If you're not first, you're last.

 

I am so scared of Melo thinking we are treating him as second fiddle. We need to be courting both him and LeBron at midnight July 1... Don't know how that would be done but it needs to happen.

 

man, i feel like we're not going to get anyone, and we'll be stuck with lin/asik this year

if we get melo or lebron, someone hold me to it. i'm donating to the tip jar.

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but looking at the heats salary....if all three opt out the heat have about $8 mill on the books. The salary cap is estimated to be around $63 mill which leaves $55 mill in cap space. If wade signs that contract that's $12, leaving $43. Melo I don't think would sign for less than $18 leaving about $25 to split between lbj and bosh.

Or am I mistaken and can the original big three resign after opt out and go OVER the cap after signing melo to a deal?

 

You are right and I am wrong on this. I received back from Bima confirming your statement.

 

Same. I almost kind of dont want to court Lebron(only because its such a long shot). The Melo stuff to me sounded like the Dwight stuff last summer. Whereas the Lebron stuff reminds me of when we tried to get Bosh- no real substance behind it just a lot of hope and speculation. Until I hear actual rumored interest from Lebron to Houston, I'm considering it a pipe dream interfering with plans to get Melo.

And what does Melo see in the Bulls besides the city of Chicago? They have a good coach, sure- but Rose is always injured, and Noah- while an upgrade over Chandler and a very skilled player- is (IMO) not the type of player you want as your 2nd option. A team of Noah and Melo can maybe (at max) get to the ECF.

 

This article means very little. The Bulls did due diligence on Carmelo long ago, and he has likewise looked into Chicago... as he has Dallas and Houston and other cities.

 

Carmelo sees fame and attention in Chicago. Houston is a better city IMO but he will get more coverage in Chicago.

 

He will research on city of Houston soon after he is done with Chicago. We are a better team than Chicago, and that should be a factor in Carmelo's decision that he wants to win championship.

 

Huh, things aren't looking good. I have no idea why Melo would go to the Bulls, but as of now all signs are pointing to that happening.

 

I don't understand why some are so unwilling to consider the possibility that Chicago is at the top of his list.

 

Well because it wouldn't make much sense from a basketball standpoint and most people assume he wants to win. Perhaps that's not a safe assumption.

 

The only list that counts is the last list. And the only team on that list that matters is the one that has him on their roster when the dust settles. Let me know when that list is out.

 

well I guess we not going to win sh@$^%3.

 

Rockets are the better team, sure. But the West is loaded, while the East is weak. A Chicago team w/ Melo is almost certainly a lock for ECF -- if he wants to win, that may seem the path of least resistance. Throw in the fact that they have been allegedly heavily recruiting him since ASB and we're making no secret of the fact that we'll "settle" for him if we strike out on Lebron... not saying there's anything "wrong" with that per se, but it doesn't seem far-fetched that he might lean towards Chicago.

IMO, there are way too many stories breaking regarding his preference for Chicago for there not to be some fire there. I just think it's interesting (though predictable, I guess) that lots of fans think the couple of stories re him preferring the Rockets are credible, while the dozens of stories re him preferring Chicago must be crap, that's all.