The Houston Rockets could be big players in the NBA free agency class in the summer of 2014, as Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James could be targets and the team has been considered a destination for the Knicks star along with the Chicago Bulls and now the team could trade names like Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik to help clear cap space to offer Anthony a chance to make a Big 3 of his own with Dwight Howard and James Harden in Texas.
The Knicks fired Mike Woodson on Monday after the playoffs started, so that could be the first of many moves that New York makes to try and keep Anthony in town, but they are sure to have competition for the services of Melo. According to ESPN.com, the salary cap for the NBA next season is expected to rise at least $5 million and while that isn't an official number yet, many teams have taken that as a chance to give Anthony and James bigger offers that could help sway them to leave their original teams.
The report is not official, but many expect the cap to rise from$58.6 million to $63.2 million and while the Knicks can offer the most money and the longest contract to Anthony, that extra space could give teams the leverage they need. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Houston Rockets and the Chicago Bulls are the top options for Anthony, as he has expressed his respect for coach Tom Thibodeau and he also wants to win now, which both teams are primed for. Derek Rose is returning from an injury and the additions of Dwight Howard and James Harden have turned the Rockets into legitimate contenders in the west and adding Anthony to that mix could be huge.
The Knicks are considered the favorites because they can give Anthony five years and around $130 million, but he could give up that extra year and more money to try and get with a team that can win now. The Knicks can be a good team with a rebound next year, but they are hamstrung by contracts this offseason and in 2015 they can be in the mix, but Anthony may not have the patience for that after missing the playoffs this season. The Knicks won 50 games and the Atlantic division last year, but they ended up 37-45 this season and fired their head coach.
The ESPN.com report writes that the Rockets could get rid of Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik, as each have expiring contracts next season and that could open up the cap space to sign Anthony. Anthony may still decide to remain in New York, but he has every right to opt out to become a free agent, as he has never been one before. The Nuggets drafted him and signed him to an extension and then he was traded and while he had some sway in that decision, it's still not the same and he signed and extension after that and now this could be his last chance to get wooed and sign a deal when he is at the prime of his talents. On top of that, he missed the playoffs for the first time in his career.