The Chicago Bulls are coming into the offseason with big free agent targets like Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James and a trade involving Carlos Boozer, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson or Jimmy Butler could be in the cards to clear enough cap space to get it done and those moves are essential for any chance of teaming up the King or Melo with Derrick Rose.
Anthony is the main target for the team, as he has a scoring touch that is desperately needed and if the Knicks can't sign him back, Chicago looks like the best option for him. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Bulls would be willing to trade Joakim Noah to get a deal done for Anthony or for Kevin Love and while that is a change from the past (as Noah was once called off limits) it doesn't mean the Bulls will actually go through with a deal.
The team is targeting a number of players in the offseason as free agents and Carmelo Anthony is at the top of that list along with LeBron James and Lance Stephenson. The Bulls know that they have a short window with Derrick Rose in his prime and while he is coming off of two serious injuries, the team is hopeful he can come back strong this season.
Anthony is also the number on priority with the Knicks and he is being targeted by the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets as well. Anthony can sign the longest and highest money contract with New York and that could keep him in the Big Apple, but with endorsements and all he has made already, championships could be more important than money right now. The Heat reportedly are thinking about signing Anthony if they can make the cap work, but that will be very difficult.
ESPN.com worked out a realistic way that the Heat could sign him and it would require all of the Big 3 to opt out and then sign back for less money. Anthony could potentially leave up to $70 million on the table and that could be too much for a player to handle, even if he does want to win titles. Last season Anthony had another solid year with the Knicks and averaged over 25 points, but he missed the playoffs for the first time in his career and that could lead him to leaving New York because he knows the team is a year or two away from winning a title or even competing for one.
The Knicks are desperate to bring back Anthony, as he cost the team a huge package when he was traded and it would be a big disappointment for the franchise to lose him after a few years. Anthony has to be selfish in his thinking right now, as his career and legacy are on the line as he makes this decision. Leaving NY will make the Big apple hate him, but if he wins a championship somewhere else it could be all worth it.
