New York Knicks vs. Washington Wizards Live Radio Stream: Watch NBA Preseason Online Game

The New York Knicks have started off the preseason with a couple of losses and just one win through three games, but for Carmelo Anthony and company, the preseason schedule is about more than just their win-loss record and on Thursday night they will get the chance to put things to the test as they travel to play the Washington Wizards at the Baltimore Arena at 7:00 PM.

Knicks superstar Carmelo Anthony is playing the game in front of his hometown fans, as he grew up in the city and he comes into the 2013-14 season with very high expectations after leading the Knicks to over 50 wins and a division title last season. The team won a round of the playoffs over the Boston Celtics before losing to the Indiana Pacers and now the Knicks are looking to make another deep playoff run and as they do that, the franchise also must wonder if Anthony will opt out of his deal to become a free agent next summer.

Check here for the NBA League Pass coverage of the Knicks and Wizards preseason game or for more on the NY Knicks and the upcoming NBA season from SWR.

Anthony made his first comments regarding free agency since the summer, saying in an interview with the New York Observer that he would like to become a free agent, as it is something that he never had the chance to do in his career before, as he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets and then was traded to the New York Knicks and he never got the chance to hit the open market during that time. Melo still has two years left on his deal, but like LeBron James, he can opt out in the summer of 2014 and now all signs appear that he will do that, but that doesn't necessarily mean he will be leaving New York City.

Click here for the NBA League pass coverage and audio coverage of the preseason from NBA.com and the league website.

Anthony can get the most money if he stays with the Knicks and while he wants to be a free agent, that doesn't mean the Knicks won't be the ones to re-sign him when he does, as they can offer more years and $30 million more than anyone else. The team is coming into the games against the Wizards after playing three straight road preseason game and they will continue to play away from home, as Madison Square Garden is being renovated still from over the summer.

The team will play its only home preseason game at the end of the month against the Charlotte Bobcats and that comes after games on the road against the Wizards, Toronto Raptors and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Knicks open the regular season with a home game against the Bucks no Wednesday October 30 and then the schedule picks up right away with a road matchup the following day with the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose, who is coming back from a serious knee injury and did not play last season.

The opening part of the schedule is not too difficult for the Knicks, as they have games against Minnesota and Charlotte, including back to back games in a home-and-home with the Bobcats and that comes before home games against the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Anthony comes into the season after winning a scoring title and now that the Knicks have added names like Beno Udrih and Metta World Peace to the mix, the front office and coach Mike Woodson feels they have a team, in place that can make a title run in the East against the Heat, Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets.