Carmelo Anthony told media that he would not be talking about free agency during the All-Star break. The New York Knicks guard said the break was not for recruiting or business talk, but more for celebrating achievements. He stressed he would not be talking with other players about future plans, but did he hold up to his word?
According to ESPN's Chris Broussard, Joakim Noah spent All-Star weekend attempting to recruit Anthony to sign with the Chicago Bulls in the offseason. Everyone knows that Anthony will be a free agent this summer and as the New York Knicks continue to blow away their season, re-signing for the long-term does not sound appealing. Broussard writes, "Over All-Star weekend, I'm told by a person with knowledge of the conversation, that Joakim Noah recruited Carmelo. Now, you'll probably hear denials out of Chicago if they talk about it, because it would be tampering, officially. But I'm told that Joakim said to Melo, "Look, you can go to Los Angeles. But if you want to win a ring, if you want your legacy to be about winning, come to Chicago."
Broussard continues to say that Anthony was reportedly receptive to what Noah was saying. He likes the idea of playing with Derrick Rose when the point guard returns healthy. The Bulls have already made it known that Anthony will be a player they pursue in the offseason. The team traded away Luol Deng to save cap space and could drop Carlos Boozer in the offseason to have room for a max contract.
There is an issue with trying to sign Anthony and that could be because of Noah. Money is an issue for Chicago and they have to decide whether or not to hand out another large contract. According to Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald, Noah has established himself as one of the most valuable players in the league and will be looking for a big pay increase starting in 2015 as his current contract expires in 2016.
The Bulls have been conservative when it comes to handing out contracts and with Rose and Noah already on the books, would they be willing to add Anthony? A lineup that consists of those three players would likely be the best thing to beat the Miami Heat should the Big 3 stay in South Beach. Chicago would be instant championship contenders so the team must weigh their options.
