Carmelo Anthony Says He Wants to Be a Free Agent Next Summer

How does that make you feel, Knicks fans.

Oct 16, 2013
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Complex Original

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A month ago, Carmelo Anthony put the collective minds of New York Knicks fans at ease when he told Bloomberg Television's Market Makers that he wasn't going anywhere. Or, at least, that's what they thought because in an interview with New York Observer, Anthony dropped quite the bombshell statement. Now, Knicks fans, make sure you're sitting down when you read the quote below.

"I want to be a free agent. "I think everybody in the NBA dreams to be a free agent at least one time in their career. It's like you have an evaluation period, you know. It's like if I'm in the gym and I have all the coaches, all the owners, all the GMs come into the gym and just evaluate everything I do. So yes, I want that experience."
Now, look, take that as you may, but in all honesty, Knicks fans probably don't want to hear their franchise player saying that he wants to test out the free agent market next summer. Especially when there's speculation that good friend Kobe Bryant could try luring him over to the Lakers, in addition to reports that the Knicks front office failed to follow through on Melo's request and land the Celtics' Rajon Rondo over the offseason. 
 
Of course, maybe Knicks fans should just take Anthony on his word and come to terms with the fact that Melo simply wants to be wined and dined and go through the experience. But at the end of the day, he will opt to stay in New York for $129,135,806 over five years rather than go elsewhere and accept a four-year, $95,897,372 contract. Who knows what is going on in Melo's head? It's going to be a fun summer 2014. 

[via ESPN]

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